Moderate warming rewires one-third of microalga's genes, study finds
Researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena found that the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii alters one-third of its genes in response to moderate temperature changes. This suggests that even minor climate shifts could significantly impact aquatic food chains.
Why it matters
Understanding how foundational organisms adapt to climate change is critical for predicting the stability of global ecosystems.
by Yann Schosser, Friedrich Schiller University of Jena
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Andrew Zinin
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
Add as preferred source Culture flasks containing green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) on a white table. Credit: Yann Schosser Researchers have demonstrated for the first time that the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii alters the activity of about one-third of its protein-coding genes in response even to moderate temperature changes. The study, published in the journal The Plant Cell , points to far-reaching consequences of climate change for aquatic ecosystems and soil. The research team is from the Cluster of Excellence Balance of the Microverse at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology—Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI).
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in