Destabilisation of the holobiont macroalga and induction of bacterial pathogenesis due to increasing environmental stress conditions

• Applicant: Dr. Tim Lachnit
• Subject Area: Microbial Ecology and Applied Microbiology
• Term: from 2011 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 199722763

• Final Report Year: 2014

Final Report Abstract

This project enabled the identification and characterisation of the major disease of Ecklonia radiata the dominant kelp species in Australia. Due to the development of a specific viral purification method for marine seaweeds it could be demonstrated that this disease is caused by viruses. Prevalence of this viral infection could not be linked to water temperature or light regime. Discharge of untreated waste water clearly correlates with the frequency and severity of disease. It can be supposed that the exposure to waste water makes E. radiate more susceptible for viral infection.

Publications

• Fluorescence based, quasi-continuous and in situ monitoring of biofilm formation dynamics in natural marine environments. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2014 Jun;80(12):3721-8. Epub 2014 Apr 11
  M. Fischer, G. Friedrichs and T. Lachnit
  (See online at https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.00298-14)