Genome sequencing of Chaetoceros tenuissimus NIES-3715

Chaetoceros tenuissimus Meunier has small (~5 µm) cells that are rectangular in the girdle view. The growth is high, at least five divisions per day under the following conditions: water temperature of 25ºC, salinity 30, and high light intensity (800 µmol of photons m-2 s-1). This diatom is considered to be an important phytoplankton species for marine primary productions owing to its higher growth rate. Chaetoceros tenuissimus is also known to be the diatom host of its infectious viruses, single-stranded RNA virus CtenRNAV and single-stranded DNA virus CtenDNAV. It is suggested that C. tenuissimus remains highly productive even when surrounded by its infectious viruses. The goal of this project is to reveal the genomic characters of the ecologically important diatom species and to understand the diatom and virus systems in nature.