Prof. Dr. Georg Pohnert
Unraveling the (bio)chemical processes involved in phytoplankton-virus interactions

Abstract
Marine algal viruses have been shown to influence phytoplankton dynamics thereby affecting the functioning of pelagic food webs and biogeochemical cycling. Viruses have the potential of inducing mortality in the unicellular host algae, but resistant strains have also been isolated. Despite this obvious plasticity in host-virus interaction there is nearly nothing known about the (bio)chemical processes involved in and triggered by the infection. This project aims to investigate the underlying regulative processes by applying a metabolomic and proteomic investigation of phytoplankton cells. Comparison of uninfected controls, resistant and infected strains will provide data sets that allow tracing down metabolic pathways activated or silenced during the infection process. Bioassays will be developed to verify the role of the identified chemicals in the lab. The project will be accompanied by field studies that aim to search for metabolic changes in phytoplankton blooms in response to viral infection. Possible model species will include Phaeocystis sp. and Emiliana huxleyi, since resistant and susceptible strains as well as genomic resources are available. In addition, the high productivity associated with blooms of these alga in combination with their world-wide distribution make them important contributors to the marine carbon and sulphur cycle. The project will be conducted in a close international collaboration with A. Vardi (Rutgers, NY) and C. de Vargas (Station Biologique de Roscoff, F).  

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