Objective Recently discovered marine alga Chromera velia represents the closest known free living photosynthetic relative to obligate parasites Apicomplexa. C. velia is easy to cultivate, thus representing a powerful model for studying organisms living in nutritionally poor ocean environment as well as a model to study the evolution of parasitism. For most marine microorganisms the mechanisms of adaptation to extremely low iron levels in surface seawater are unknown. We have recently described in C. velia a novel non-reductive two-step model of iron uptake. In this project we will further study the mechanism of iron uptake system in C. velia and characterize it at the molecular level. Furthermore, we will compare iron requirement, uptake mechanism and storage in various microalgae belonging to different phyla. Our preliminary experiments suggest great diversity in the requirement for iron among different marine microalgae. We will try to elucidate if these differences are related to the diversity of the mechanisms of iron acquisition and storage. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmarine biologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyphycologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiological behavioural sciencesethologybiological interactions Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2009-RG - Marie Curie Action: "Reintegration Grants" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2010-RG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-ERG - European Re-integration Grants (ERG) Coordinator UNIVERZITA KARLOVA EU contribution € 45 000,00 Address OVOCNY TRH 560/5 116 36 Praha 1 Czechia See on map Region Česko Praha Hlavní město Praha Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Eva Spilkova (Mrs.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data
