Research on the wealth of protist species in oxygen-poor marine sediments from different climate zones through clone libraries, temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), thinning cultures and single-cell-sequencing

Research on the wealth of protist species in oxygen-poor marine sediments from different climate zones through clone libraries, temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE), thinning cultures and single-cell-sequencing

Marianne Ellegaard, Ph.D., Institute of Biology, University of Copenhagen

Our project intends to research the wealth of species of single-cellular organisms with cell nuclei, the so-called protists. New research with screening of genes from marine oxygen-free sediments seems to indicate there are undescribed primitive groups of protests in these environments. If this indication proves to be accurate, it may change our view of how early forms of life developed on the Earth.

In addition, we intend to examine whether the diversity of protist species is uniformly rich all over the Earth or if there are geographical differences, a topic that has been strongly debated. We shall examine the interconnection between the level of richness of diversity of protests and the composition of species of their primary source of food, that is, bacteria. Last, we wish to describe protist species diversity on the basis of dated layers of sediment samples in order to assess whether there have been changes in the composition of species in the course of time.

Our research will be based on a combination of genetic screening of deep-sea samples and cultivation of organisms for detailed studies. The samples are to be collected by means of pipes that are drilled into the seabed at a depth of approximately 1,000 metres below the surface of the sea. When the samples have been brought onboard the ship, some will be frozen down for DNA analyses, while others will be used for collecting living organisms for further studies. Organisms that cannot be cultivated will be described through a combination of microscopy and DNA analysis of the individual cell, whereas cells that can be cultivated will also be examined under an electronic microscope. 

Besides publication of the findings in scientific and popular periodicals, the findings of the project will be used in an international cooperation of researchers that develops web-based educational material for use at university level.