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Structural and Metabolic connection in oceanic plastid symbioses

Objective

Single-celled marine plankton, that sustain oceanic food webs and strongly impact the global carbon cycle, can establish various kinds of symbioses to gain energy. Plastid symbiosis, whereby host cells temporarily integrate microalgal cells (photosymbiosis) or just their photosynthetic plastids (kleptoplastidy) as intracellular solar-powered carbon factories, is a key interaction in worldwide surface oceans. Plastid symbiosis was at the origin of a major evolutionary innovation that spread photosynthesis across eukaryotes, transforming the biosphere. Despite this ecological and evolutionary importance, very little is known about how a photosynthetic machinery is structurally and metabolically integrated into a host cell and what mechanisms allow cells to transport sugars, the main photosynthetic product and energetic currency. The central concept of SymbiOcean is that plastid symbiosis forms a metabolic unit where the source (engulfed microalgae/plastid) is metabolically engineered by the sink (host) to produce and transfer carbon energy. Working with original non-model symbiotic systems, I will develop novel imaging and genetic tools to mechanistically dissect this key metabolic interaction at different scales. Combining multimodal subcellular imaging and photophysiology, I will first unveil how the photosynthetic machinery is morphologically and metabolically remodeled in symbiosis to provide benefits to the host. I will then investigate the identity, localization and role of sugar transporters underlying the source-sink carbon flux in plastid symbiosis, providing the basis to evaluate the evolutionary and environmental forces that shape the metabolic connection. Crossing boundaries between structural biology, eco-physiology and evolution, this ambitious project will resolve fundamental mechanisms in widespread planktonic symbioses, advancing our understanding of the functioning and carbon flux of marine ecosystems.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

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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.

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.

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2022-COG

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Host institution

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
Net EU contribution

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.

€ 2 203 975,00
Total cost

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.

€ 2 203 975,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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