source: https://biodiversitygenomics.eu/2025/02/21/navigating-the-genomic-chart-of-the-greek-seas/
By Tereza Manousaki, Thanos Dailianis, the MOm team, Katerina Vasileiadou, Xenia Sarropoulou and Konstantina Theofanopoulou
The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), is at the forefront of marine biodiversity genomics as part of the European Horizon project Biodiversity Genomics Europe – BGE. One of the goals of BGE is to sequence the genomes of endangered and ecologically significant marine species. The Greek participation in BGE includes, in addition to HCMR, the Natural History Museum of Crete and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.
This project is the first funded action of the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative, which brings together more than 1000 researchers with the aim of sequencing the genomes of all European species. Greece has been actively involved in ERGA since its inception and is represented by Prof. Konstantina Theofanopoulou (Rockefeller University) and Dr. Tereza Manousaki (IMBBC, HCMR).
The research activity of HCMR within the framework of BGE, led by Dr. Tereza Manousaki, focuses on sequencing 25 key species of Greek marine biodiversity. Among them are marine mammals, invertebrates and commercially important species, as selected by marine biologists Dr. Thanos Dailianis and Dr. Katerina Vassiliadou. These data will provide valuable information on the genetic diversity, evolutionary history and adaptation of species to climate change.
Landmark Achievement: The Mediterranean Monk Seal
In collaboration with the Society for the Study and Protection of the Mediterranean Monk Seal (MOm), the genome sequencing of an emblematic and rare marine mammal, the Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus, has begun. The genome of “Constantina”, the orphaned young seal successfully cared for by MOm, is being processed by the Swedish SciLifeLab, a leading research center for biological infrastructure.
Constantina, the Mediterranean Monk Seal whose genome is being sequenced. Following successful rehabilitation by the MOm team, she was released and is now free in her natural habitat. Photo by: MOm / P. Dendrinos
Invertebrates: Ecological Pillars of the Greek Seas
The project is sequencing key invertebrates – sponges, corals, and sea urchins – essential for shaping and maintaining marine ecosystems. The first two genomes have already been completed and are freely available to the research community for further studies. These are the genomes of the Noah’s Ark shell (Arca noae), an endemic Mediterranean edible mollusc of fishing interest, as well as the pearl oyster Pinctada radiata, one of the first invasive migrants of the Eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, which is now widespread in most Greek coastal ecosystems.
Click to read the genome report for Noah’s Ark Shell. Photo by: Ida Gabler / iNaturalist
Click to read the Genome Report for the Rayed Pearl Oyster. Photo by: Thanos Dailianis / HCMR
An additional important action within the framework of the project is to conduct population genomic analysis that will support the management and protection of the common bath sponge found in the Greek seas (Spongia officinalis). This species is in immediate danger due to the effects of climate change and anthropogenic pressures. By sequencing the genomes of hundreds of sponge individuals from Greece, researchers aim to understand the current status and past history of the species, that not only defines Mediterranean marine ecosystems, but also has high cultural and commercial value for our country. The results, which will be the subject of the thesis of the PhD candidate of the HCMR and University of Crete, Ms. Xenia Sarropoulou, will lead to the understanding of the evolutionary processes taking place in the populations of the species, will highlight how it responds to the pressures it faces and will form the basis for its future management and conservation. This case study is a milestone for Greek research, providing a wealth of genetic information for a single –yet important– marine species. It underscores the importance of whole-genome studies for biodiversity conservation, both in Greece and across Europe.
Spongia officinalis
Spongia officinalis, the common bath sponge. Photo by: Thanos Dailianis / HCMR