Project description
Do diatoms sink glycan carbon into the ocean?
Marine microalgae and bacteria form a carbon cycle. Algae convert CO2 into glycan sugar polymers via photosynthesis. Bacteria digest glycans and release the contained carbon CO2 again into the atmosphere. Funded by the European Research Council, the C-Quest project will concentrate on diatom microalgae that convert substantial amounts of CO2 into glycans. The team will test the hypothesis that certain glycans are not digested by bacteria, enabling CO2 containment in the ocean. The structural diversity of glycans creates an analytical barrier, which remains a great challenge to overcome. To break through, the team will use highly specific enzymes and other bioanalytic tools that can identify and quantify algal glycans. Biological counting of glycans will show how much carbon is cycled or sequestered in the ocean.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
ERC - Support for frontier research (ERC)
Coordinator
28359 Bremen
Germany
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