Goal
We aim to foster common actions to establish new genetic models and biological resources for the study of the biology of red algae that diverged early from the tree of life that led to green algae and land plants. These three photosynthetic lineages, collectively known as the Archaeplastida, share a common ancestor that formed an endosymbiotic association with a cyanobacterium that was the forerunner of the photosynthetic organelle, the plastid. This innovation proved critical to the Earth’s history, giving rise to a plethora of primary producers that support aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Red algae are a major contribution to eukaryotes diversity not only because they innovated multicellularity and complex development and life cycles independently from other lineages but also because they contributed autotrophy though secondary of tertiary endosymbiosis in a multitude of lineages including haptophytes, stramenopiles, dinoflagelates and apicomplexans. However, very little is known about genetic systems and gene functions in red algae and existing research groups are scattered and the community lacks integration. The focus of our workshop is thus to reach plans of action for integrations of omics data, tools and biological resources and for providing funding to stock centers and research networks using red algae as models.
Rationale
A budding community that needs structure and common tools
We estimate that there are less than 30 laboratories that work intensively with red algae. However, the development of genetic engineering tools and genomes of > 20 species of red algae have raised significant interest, particularly in the extremophilic cyanidiales. Two websites now provide access to genomes of red algae, but their long-term survival is uncertain. Cultures of red algae are circulated between different laboratories, but concerns about contamination exist. Hence there is a need for a more robust integration of the research community and resources available from these increasingly important red algal genomes, databases, protocols, and cultures.
Why is this workshop timely?
Knowledge of the classical literature is fading with the retirement of specialists in systematics and collections of protists are difficult to maintain, although thankfully some stock centers (NCMA (Bigelow, USA), UTEX (University of Texas at Austin), SAG (Goettingen), CCAP (Oban, UK), NIES (Japan), RCC (Roscoff, France)) remain, but their funding is precarious. The new European Marine Biological Resource Centre provides researchers and companies with access to marine life and models including photosynthetic organisms and the facilities to study them, including experimental and technological platforms. Therefore, now is time to revive funding in this area of research.
The development of genomics not only provides 'faster' and increasingly more complete and better assembled genomes, but also the means to mine efficiently collections of mutant screens that are easily generated with unicellular organisms.
The development of new genetic tools such as CRISPR/Cas9 promises to further advance genetic engineering that will allow the development of new model species throughout the algal tree of life. Furthermore, the rebirth of sophisticated ultrastructural studies and spatial proteomics technologies will help to uncover the diversity of intracellular organization.