Chapter 6
Genomics of Marine Algae
Susana M. Coelho, Svenja Heesch, Nigel Grimsley, Hervé Moreau,
and J. Mark Cock
Abstract The algae are an extremely diverse group of organisms from several
different perspectives; including their phylogeny, their basic biology and biochemistry, the range of complexity they exhibit and their adaptation to a large number of
different habitats. As a result, algal research touches on a broad spectrum of questions ranging from the importance of algae as key species in marine ecosystems to
algae as a source of novel biomolecules and bioprocesses. Two key developments
have accelerated research in this field over the past few years. The first is the application of high-throughput sequencing approaches both to whole genome sequencing
and to metagenomic exploration of marine environments. The second is the emergence of model organisms in several of the less well studied algal lineages. These
model organisms are important because they permit efficient application of genomic
approaches to these groups. This chapter will describe how genomic research is providing new insights into many aspects of algal biology and will attempt to outline
where this research is likely to lead in the future.
Abbreviations
DD
(2E,4E/Z)-decadienal
kbp
kilobase pairs
Mbp
megabase pairs
NO
nitric oxide
PCR
polymerase chain reaction
pg
picogramme
rDNA ribosomal DNA
S.M. Coelho (B)
UPMC Univ. Paris 06, The Marine Plants and Biomolecules Laboratory, UMR 7139, 29682,
Roscoff Cedex, France
e-mail: coelho@sb-roscoff.fr
179
J.M. Cock et al. (eds.), Introduction to Marine Genomics,
Advances in Marine Genomics 1, DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8639-6_6,
C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
Genomics of Marine Algae
Susana M. Coelho, Svenja Heesch, Nigel Grimsley, Hervé Moreau,
and J. Mark Cock
Abstract The algae are an extremely diverse group of organisms from several
different perspectives; including their phylogeny, their basic biology and biochemistry, the range of complexity they exhibit and their adaptation to a large number of
different habitats. As a result, algal research touches on a broad spectrum of questions ranging from the importance of algae as key species in marine ecosystems to
algae as a source of novel biomolecules and bioprocesses. Two key developments
have accelerated research in this field over the past few years. The first is the application of high-throughput sequencing approaches both to whole genome sequencing
and to metagenomic exploration of marine environments. The second is the emergence of model organisms in several of the less well studied algal lineages. These
model organisms are important because they permit efficient application of genomic
approaches to these groups. This chapter will describe how genomic research is providing new insights into many aspects of algal biology and will attempt to outline
where this research is likely to lead in the future.
Abbreviations
DD
(2E,4E/Z)-decadienal
kbp
kilobase pairs
Mbp
megabase pairs
NO
nitric oxide
PCR
polymerase chain reaction
pg
picogramme
rDNA ribosomal DNA
S.M. Coelho (B)
UPMC Univ. Paris 06, The Marine Plants and Biomolecules Laboratory, UMR 7139, 29682,
Roscoff Cedex, France
e-mail: coelho@sb-roscoff.fr
179
J.M. Cock et al. (eds.), Introduction to Marine Genomics,
Advances in Marine Genomics 1, DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8639-6_6,
C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010