Frédéric Verret

Diatoms are unicellular eukaryotic algae responsible for near half of the marine primary productivity. My research focuses on a) the acclimatory responses of diatoms to their environments and b) the identification of diatom metabolites with applications in biotechnology.

Main ongoing projects:

1. RNA Silencing
RNA silencing is a mechanism of regulation of gene expression mediated by small RNAs. In animals and plants RNA silencing plays an important role in growth and development, and in the acclimatory response to stress. We are conducting a reverse genetic approach employing mutagenesis, omics and biochemical analysis to characterize the molecular players and physiological role of RNA silencing in the model diatoms species Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

2. Marennine and Highly Branched Isoprenoid
H.ostrearia produces a blue pigment called marennine and a range of highly branched isoprenoid (HBI) with applications in aquaculture and food, and biofuel industry respectively. Haslea sp. with contrasting marennine production are cultured in laboratory. Comparative omics analyses are carried out to identify candidate genes involved in marennine and HBI biosynthesis. In parallel, P.tricornutum is used as a cell chassis to functionally characterize H.ostrearia gene candidates.