Understanding microbial responses to environmental stress: integrated molecular and palaeocological approaches using testate Amoebae

• Grant number: 15/50327-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: May 01, 2017
• End date: April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Agreement: Queen's University of Belfast
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Daniel José Galafasse Lahr
• Grantee: Daniel José Galafasse Lahr
• Principal researcher abroad: Helen M. Roe
• Institution abroad: Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 13/04585-3 - Deciphering the major trends of molecular and morphological evolution in the Amoebozoa, AP.JP

Abstract

This project will bring together an international team working in two cognate areas, evolutionary biology and palaeoecology, to develop new methodologies to aid in understanding the response of shelled protozoans to environmental stress. The project will focus on testate amoebae, a major group of eukaryotes that play an important role in microbial food-webs and nutrient cycling, and have been widely used in environmental reconstruction. The findings will help to address a series of key questions concerning (I) the response of shelled eukaryotes to environmental stressors, from climate-related parameters to urban and industrial contaminants; (II) the relationship between 'functional traits' (particularly shell-morphological attributes), the environment and phylogenetic markers; and (III) environmental controls on phylogeography and dispersal. The planned activities will involve a combination of knowledge exchange, refinement of laboratory and other analytical procedures, trial genetic analyses, synthesis of existing data and Scanning Electron Micrograph imagery from the literature, research dissemination and grant preparation. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MACUMBER, ANDREW L.; BLANDENIER, QUENTIN; TODOROV, MILCHO; DUCKERT, CLEMENT; LARA, ENRIQUE; LAHR, DANIEL J. G.; MITCHELL, EDWARD A. D.; ROE, HELEN M.. Phylogenetic divergence within the Arcellinida (Amoebozoa) is congruent with test size and metabolism type. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PROTISTOLOGY, v. 72, FEB 2020. (15/50327-1)