Project description
Measuring bacteria consumption in the marine food web
Within the ocean, microscopic eukaryotes such as nanoflagellates prey on marine bacteria, effectively driving nutrient recycling and transferring organic matter up the marine food web. This process, known as oceanic bacterivory, is fundamental for ecosystem functioning, yet the principal bacterial consumers remain largely unidentified. Moreover, methodological limitations prohibit the precise measurement of bacterivory rates. The ERC-funded BYGENEX project aims to address these challenges by developing omics-based approaches focused on phagocytosis-related genes. Through these approaches, the project aims to elucidate both the identities of dominant bacterivores and their ecological roles. Project findings will improve our comprehension of microbial dynamics in marine systems, particularly in the context of ongoing anthropogenic change.
Objective
Oceanic bacterivory is the process through which marine bacteria are grazed by microbial eukaryotes. It consumes a large fraction of bacterial production, transfers bacterial biomass to upper trophic levels, and completes the inorganic nutrient recycling needed for regenerated primary production. Global estimates indicate that ~15% of the Earth's primary production circulates through this process. Despite its central role in marine food webs, the identity of the dominant grazers is not well known, and in situ bacterivory rates are seldom measured as they require laborious techniques. Consequently, it is impossible to predict how oceanic bacterivory will react in light of the dramatic anthropogenic change we are facing. The aim of BYGENEX is to fill this gap and develop a quantitative approach to study oceanic bacterivory by using emerging omics-based tools that target marker genes for phagocytosis, the cellular mechanism behind bacterivory. We will first prepare an exhaustive collection of genomes from the main bacterivores in the global ocean. Then, we will identify highly expressed genes involved in phagocytosis in cultured and uncultured species across taxonomic lineages. We will perform in situ expression analysis of phagocytosis marker genes to quantify bacterivory rates of the community and of the dominant species, after calibration with direct activity measures. Finally, data from cruises will benchmark the present state of bacterivory in a range of oceanic regimes, and we will simulate bacterivory using a global ecosystem model to analyse ecosystem-wide effects of this process. BYGENEX will provide new tools to quantify oceanic bacterivory at unprecedented large scales and open the way to improve our current understanding of the structure and function of the microbial component and its role in the global marine system.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.
This project's classification has been human-validated.
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.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
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-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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) ERC-2024-ADG
See all projects funded under this callHost institution
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.
28006 MADRID
Spain
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.