About the project
Coccolithophores are widespread marine algae that are threatened by climate change. This project will examine the evolutionary processes that enabled coccolithophores to become the most important calcifying organisms in our oceans. The project will use a combination of genomics and culture-based physiological studies to identify unique aspects of coccolithophore biology.
Calcification by coccolithophores has had a profound influence on our planet. These tiny marine algae produce a covering of calcium carbonate plates and are major contributors to sedimentary rocks such as chalks and limestones. However, the mechanisms of calcification in coccolithophores remain poorly understood. We need to understand more about the calcification process and identify key differences between species in order to determine how coccolithophore communities may respond to a changing climate.
This project sets out to address the following questions:
- How did calcification in coccolithophores evolve?
- What were the key mechanisms required for the development of heavily-calcified species?
- How do these specialized mechanisms affect the ability of coccolithophores to withstand environmental change?
The project will use comparative genomic approaches on coccolithophorid cultures (using existing genomic resources) to examine how cellular mechanisms associated with calcification differ between coccolithophores and other non-calcifying algae. Proteomic datasets will be analysed to identify specific proteins that are highly expressed in heavily-calcified species. Physiological experiments will then be used to examine how specific proteins contribute to calcification, using advanced microscopy approaches to examine the nature of coccolith formation. The final aspect of the project will be to identify how specialised cellular mechanisms required for calcification contribute to the environmental sensitivity of coccolithophores.
The supervisory team combines expertise from multiple disciplines, including algal biology, evolutionary biology and cell biology. We have a large network of collaborators, both nationally and internationally, providing multiple opportunities for field work (e.g. research cruises) and/or study visits to laboratories in Europe and further afield (culture-based studies).
Supervisory team
The supervisory team includes supervisors from several organisations, including our INSPIRE Partners. Please contact the Lead Supervisor for more information about the team.
Training
The INSPIRE DTP programme provides comprehensive personal and professional development training alongside extensive opportunities for students to expand their multi-disciplinary outlook through interactions with a wide network of academic, research and industrial/policy partners. The student will be registered at the University of Southampton and hosted at the Marine Biological Association. Specific training will include:
- Comparative genomics. The project will include training in molecular genetic approaches, including PCR-based cloning and in bioinformatics (e.g. genomic and phylogenetic analyses, analysis of proteomic datasets) to enable comparison of the gene content of different coccolithophore species and other algae
- Phytoplankton culturing techniques. The student will be trained in the culturing of marine phytoplankton, including coccolithophores and other non-calcifying algae
- Physiological analyses. Full training will be provided in methods to measure coccolithophore physiology (e.g. growth, photosynthesis) under different treatments and environmental conditions and in microscopy techniques to assess the impacts on calcification (scanning electron microscopy, confocal microscopy)
