Projects
Comparative Analysis of Social Amoebae
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Within this project the genome variability of social amoeba is being explored.
For two species within the social amoeba a 3x coverage shotgun sequencing is planned.
This coverage will allow us to directly compare these genomes to the recently finished
genome of Dictyostelium discoideum. Genome scanning data of 5 species covering
the whole group of social amoebae give promising results.
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Functional Analysis of Dictyostelium Genes similar to Metazoan Counterparts
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D. discoideum shares ~1000 genes exclusively with metazoa as can be deduced from
similarity analysis. Many of these genes so far have no assigned function.
Using knock-out constructs and a bsr cassette as a selective marker we set out to define
the function of a small subgroup of these genes. Membrane-bound proteins are currently
our major focus of interest, since these factors may mediate communication to the environment
as well as cell cell contacts.
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Physarum polycephalum EST Analysis
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So-called 'acellular slime molds' are placed on the same branch of evolution as cellular 'slime molds'
like D. discoideum. A comparative approach to the understanding of the biology
of this whole branch can make use of the large evolutionary distance between these species.
The EST data, which we are currently producing, will be compared to the whole genome sequence
of D. discoideum. At the same time these data will be a resource for the evaluation of gene
prediction programs that will be used in an ongoing Physarum genome project.
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EST Analysis of Various Algae
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Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are a phenomenon caused by the local proliferation
of algae, with deleterious consequences, particularly in coastal waters throughout
the world. The negative environmental effects include toxicity to human consumers
of seafood contaminated by potent phycotoxins, marine faunal mortalities or
morbidity, habitat damage in coastal ecosystems, disruption of marine food web
dynamics and economic losses to the fishing, aquaculture, and tourist industries.
The EU funded EST project will provide the basis for the elucidation of mechanisms
and triggers of toxin production in harmful algae.
For more information see ESTTAL Project .
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