Research project Identifying function and fitness proteins required for N and C transfer

N2-fixing planktonic partnerships are important and interesting to study because they are widespread, significantly contribute to both new and primary production, and have been little studied. The symbionts are specific to their diatom hosts and differ dramatically in genome size and content. The symbionts function to provide nitrogen (N) to their hosts, yet how the N is transferred and if both partners assimilate and transfer carbon (C) is unknown. We hypothesize that the role of membrane transport is tightly coupled to symbiont location.The role of transport proteins derived from the symbionts is investigated by classical gene complementation in model heterologous systems. The function of the transporters is quantified by SIP experiments coupled to SIMS. Given the important role of these symbioses to the global N and C cycles, to study the assimilation of these major bioelements on a cellular level is of the highest biological interest. 

The Swedish Research Council is funding the research with an external grant of 2 820 000 SEK. The Co-P.I. is Enrique Flores; CSIC Seville, Spain.