Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Scientists meet in Münster!

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Scientists meet in Münster!

The University of Münster will host the “Chlamy 2025” conference from August 24th to 29th, 2025. Around 250 scientists from the fields of biology and medicine have registered for this event. The event focuses on microalgaeChlamydomonas reinhardtii, commonly known as “chlamy.” This type of algae plays an important role in the food chain and helps fix carbon dioxide in the environment.

TheChlamydomonas reinhardtiican swim with two flagella and has the ability to sense light to find optimal conditions for photosynthesis. Under special conditions, the alga can even forego photosynthesis and use carbon compounds such as acetate instead of light. This makes Chlamy an interesting model organism in cellular and molecular biology, particularly due to the over 17,000 genes identified in its genome sequencing, many of which are also found in animals.

Research focuses and techniques

How uni-muenster.de highlights, is used in researchChlamydomonasAmong other things, cryo-electron microscopy and tomography are used to examine protein structures and molecular processes. These technologies allow scientists to gain mechanistic insights into how the alga works and its role in photosynthesis.

The alga has proven to be particularly valuable in research because it has a haploid genome. This allows for immediate expression of mutations and facilitates genetic studies. The regular cell cycles and the ability to synchronize using light-dark cycles also contribute to its popularityChlamydomonasas a research object.

In addition, the alga has developed a unique carbon concentration system that increases the efficiency of photosynthesis by increasing local CO2 concentrations. Chlamydomonas has many photoreceptors that are used in optogenetics to control cellular processes with light.

Ecological interactions

The research onChlamydomonas reinhardtiialso has ecological dimensions. How pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov describes, the alga exists in a complex ecological network in which it interacts with various microbes. These interactions can be both symbiotic and antagonistic.

That's how it will beChlamydomonasfor example, hunted by various protists and bacteria. The bacteria likePseudomonas protegensproduce bioactive compounds that can affect the growth of Chlamy. In return, Chlamy has the ability to produce certain signaling molecules that influence the behavior of soil bacteria, which then interact with the algae in exchange for carbon and nutrients.

These reciprocal relationships illustrate how crucialChlamydomonas reinhardtiinot only for research, but also for the understanding of ecological systems. In the upcoming meeting, these topics will be discussed in depth and researchers will be able to exchange their latest findings and technologies.

The “Chlamy 2025” conference takes place every two years and changes location to different continents. The last conference in Germany was held in Potsdam in 2012. The organizers of the current conference are Gaia Pigino, Michael Schroda and Michael Hippler, who look forward to discussing the latest developments and trends in researchChlamydomonas reinhardtiito present.