Objective This program aims to increase our knowledge about the biology and biodiversity of ‘blue diatoms’, unique among microalgae by their ability to produce specific water-soluble bluish pigments. Up to now the terms ‘blue diatoms’ have referred exclusively to the pennate marine diatom Haslea ostrearia, and to its blue pigment, the so-called marennine, a polyphenolic molecule with biological activities, which is produced during algal growth and ageing. In oyster ponds of western France, H. ostrearia may year on year become dominant, and marennine released in the seawater is responsible for the ’greening’ of oysters, a phenomenon which has a noticeable local economical impact. The diatom H. ostrearia has long been considered the only microalga ever known, worldwide in distribution, to produce marennine. Indeed in the literature, diatoms with blue tips described as H. ostrearia were reported in almost all seas and oceans in northern and southern hemispheres. Their presence was deduced either directly from the observation of living cells, or indirectly from a greening effect of bivalves. In most cases, a careful identification of the ‘blue diatoms’ at the species level did not rely on detailed studies of morphology and morphometrics. This paradigm has been recently questioned following the discovery, in phytoplanktonic samples taken on rocky shores of Crimea (Ukraine), of diatoms presenting similarities with H. ostrearia, with bluish apices, but in which the pigment seemed different from marennine. Preliminary results indicate that these diatoms could be two different species, which raises a concern about occurrences of ‘blue diatoms’ and their identification as H. ostrearia in all other marine environments. Hence the present project is aiming to deepen our knowledge of the biology, physiology and pigments of ‘blue diatoms’, to study their biodiversity, and to unravel their taxonomy, especially regarding the genus Haslea. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsmedical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiology 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-2010-IRSES - Marie Curie Action "International Research Staff Exchange Scheme" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IRSES See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IRSES - International research staff exchange scheme (IRSES) Coordinator UNIVERSITE DU MANS EU contribution € 100 400,00 Address AVENUE OLIVIER MESSIAEN 72085 Le Mans France See on map Region Pays de la Loire Pays de la Loire Sarthe Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Laetitia Pennuen (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITE DE NANTES France EU contribution € 46 200,00 Address QUAI DE TOURVILLE 1 44035 NANTES CEDEX 1 See on map Region Pays de la Loire Pays de la Loire Loire-Atlantique Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Elodie Hervio (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data UNIVERSITE DE BRETAGNE SUD France EU contribution € 4 200,00 Address RUE ARMAND GUILLEMOT 27 56100 Lorient See on map Region Bretagne Bretagne Morbihan Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Audrey Maffessoli (Ms.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data LA ROCHELLE UNIVERSITE France EU contribution € 10 500,00 Address Avenue Albert-Einstein 23 17031 La Rochelle See on map Region Nouvelle-Aquitaine Poitou-Charentes Charente-Maritime Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Lucia Picard (Mrs.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data CARDIFF UNIVERSITY United Kingdom EU contribution € 16 800,00 Address NEWPORT ROAD 30 36 CF24 0DE Cardiff See on map Region Wales East Wales Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Nick Bodycombe (Mr.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data PANEPISTIMIO KRITIS Greece EU contribution € 8 400,00 Address UNIVERSITY CAMPUS GALLOS 74100 Rethimno See on map Region Νησιά Αιγαίου Κρήτη Ρέθυμνο Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Panayota Spetsidou (Mrs.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data