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Chemical signalling between microbial films and spores of the marine macroalga Ulva

Ziel

The aim of this project is to gain knowledge of processes in the early stages of marine bio fouling. This is an important and expensive problem and recent estimates suggest that the worldwide annual cost to shipping and marine industries is more than US$6 billion. Current attempts to control bio fouling rely on toxic chemicals and alternative ways not detrimental to the marine environment are urgently needed.

This fellowship will allow the researcher to combine her existing expertise on bio hydrodynamics with the expertise in microbial ecology of the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and to develop a thorough understanding of the biological processes involved in bio fouling. The seaweed Ulva, which is a cosmopolitan intertidal macroalgae, is a highly successful bio-fouling organism.

The reproductive stages, spores, are motile and settle onto a hard surface where they develop into a new plant. Settlement involves a process of `sensing a surface, and a choice of whether to attach permanently or move to another more suitable surface. Many factors are known to influence spore surface-selection but work at PML has shown that the presence of bacterial bio films is essential. In addition, the PML group has shown that spores respond to the chemical signal molecules that bacteria produce and use to communicate with other bacteria, a process known as "quorum sensing".

This fellowship will allow the researcher to gain expertise in the microbiology of surfaces and of how Ulva spores exploit bacterial signal molecules. It will complement her existing knowledge of the influence of water flows on spore settlement. The collaboration provides an opportunity to investigate new questions relating to how variable water flow dilutes the bacterial signal molecules in marine bio films. The researcher will gain excellent training at the PML, a marine laboratory with a world-class reputation, and will also gain project management skills and learn about potential commercialisation of the results.

Wissenschaftliches Gebiet (EuroSciVoc)

Schlüsselbegriffe

Thema/Themen

Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung

FP6-2005-MOBILITY-5
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigen

Finanzierungsplan

EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships

Koordinator

PLYMOUTH MARINE LABORATORY
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