Project description
Rhizaria, critical in the silicon cycle in our oceans
Silicon (Si) is a major nutrient in oceans and is required by microalgae (diatoms), sponges and Rhizarians. Back in the Cambrian era, sponges together with the first protists, Rhizaria, dominated the oceans and therefore silica production in these vast seas. In contemporary oceans, diatoms are thought to dominate the Si cycle but work by the EU-funded Si-ORHIGENS project has revealed the unexpected importance of Rhizarians. Si-ORHIGENS researchers have studied transcriptomic data, silica deposition and genes responsible for silicification processes in the Rhizaria. This research will form the basis for a more unified approach to plankton studies and will increase understanding of Si transport and its biogeochemical cycling in oceans.
Objective
Silicon (Si) is a major nutrient in the global ocean, required for growth by a variety of distantly related organisms, including microalgae, sponges and rhizarians. Silicifying Rhizaria were among the first protists to inhabit the ocean and, together with sponges, dominated the biogenic silica production during the Cambrian era. These organisms became an important, though poorly understood, component of marine ecosystems. In the contemporary ocean, diatoms are thought to dominate the planktonic realm and to be the main contributor to the Si cycle. However, my recent work has revealed that Rhizaria have unexpectedly high individual Si production rates and biogenic silica content, suggesting that their contribution to marine Si and carbon cycles may have been underestimated. This project aims to elucidate the process of silicification in Rhizaria and determine sources of variability in silicic acid uptake of these protists, through three tailored work packages (WPs). The first WP, consists of the analyse of transcriptomic data at a global scale as well as individual transcriptomes of isolated Rhizaria to assess the diversity of Si transporters. Thereafter, the examination of silica deposition, using a fluorescence compound, in a broad range of Rhizaria and varying ambient silicic acid concentrations. The final WP, will be the quantification of gene expression during silicification processes using primers designed within WP1. This highly interdisciplinary project combines bioinformatics, molecular biology and physiology, leading to a more unified approach to plankton research. The outcomes of this project will improve our general understanding of Si transport in Rhizaria as well as our understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of Si in the ocean. This work will also constitute a major advance in my career, as I acquire skills in new research methods beyond my current capacity, and build a unique skillset that will set me ahead of the current rhizarian research scope.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics RNA transcriptomes
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
- natural sciences biological sciences molecular biology
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
-
HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
See all projects funded under this programme
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
See all projects funded under this funding scheme
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
See all projects funded under this callCoordinator
Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
75006 PARIS
France
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.