Sequencing algal holobiome-associating bacterial genome. Bacteria

Algal bloom is typically caused by aberrant propagation of a single or a few species, resulting in its predomination in the local population. Particularly, several algal species are known to form bloom to negatively impact the ecosystem, correctively called harmful algal species. While environmental factors including temperature and eutrophication are linked to bloom, the precise mechanism of its formation process is still obscure. This project aims to understand the effect of environmental microbiome on dynamics of harmful algal bloom. Increasing number of studies show that interaction among algae and other microbiome, such as bacteria and virus, play crucial roles on determination of bloom dynamics. Here We focus on isolation and characterization of bacteria that associate with bloom-forming algae and/or habitat in surrounding environment, and understand mechanism of interspecies interaction between the strains and the algae, resulting in shaping bloom dynamics.