Delisea pulchra holobiont – genome, metagenome, metabolome, and metabolic networks

The red alga Delisea pulchra is a common inhabitant of the shallow subtidal zone of the Indo-West Pacific and Antarctic Indian Ocean. During the summer months it frequently undergoes bleaching, which severely affects its growth and reproduction. Bacterial infections play a significant role in this phenomenon and have been studied in vitro by inoculation experiments. In this project, we strengthen D. pulchra as a model system to elucidate host-microbe interactions by generating a high-quality reference genome of the host, including in-depth analysis of algal defense pathways.