Team IMMAR - Molecular Interactions with Red Algal Matrices
Red algae are ancient eukaryotes and important primary producers in coastal marine ecosystems. Some red algae have sulfated extracellular matrix (ECM) galactans: carrageenans and agars. These polymers are essential for algal biology and provide complex carbon sources for marine microbes.
The IMMAR team studies the interactions with red algal ECM components to understand red algal matrix metabolism. Axis 1 focuses on algal ECM biosynthesis and Axis 2 investigates catabolic interactions. Both axes involve marine enzyme discovery and biochemical characterization of protein-carbohydrate interactions with red algal matrix molecules. The results of this research are generating a unique toolbox of characterized marine enzymes to produce structurally defined glycans for Axis 3 - cell-based bioactivity assays.
Contact(s)
- Elizabeth Ficko-Blean
Projects
Membres
Elizabeth Ficko-Blean, CRCN
Marine Gourhand, Doctoral student
Murielle Jam, AI
Nanna Rhein-Knudsen, Post-doctoral fellow
Marine Gourhand, Doctoral student
Murielle Jam, AI
Nanna Rhein-Knudsen, Post-doctoral fellow
Publications
Identification and Characterization of a New Thermophilic κ‑Carrageenan Sulfatase
Nanna Rhein-Knudsen, Diego S Reyes-Weiss, Leesa J Klau, Alexandra Jeudy, Thomas Roret, et al.. Identification and Characterization of a New Thermophilic κ‑Carrageenan Sulfatase. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2025, 73, pp.2044 - 2055. ⟨10.1021/acs.jafc.4c09751⟩. ⟨hal-04923334⟩
Constrained Catalytic Itinerary of a Retaining 3,6-Anhydro-D-Galactosidase, a Key Enzyme in Red Algal Cell Wall Degradation
Michael Wallace, Irene Cuxart, Thomas Roret, Laura Guée, Aleksandra Debowski, et al.. Constrained Catalytic Itinerary of a Retaining 3,6-Anhydro-D-Galactosidase, a Key Enzyme in Red Algal Cell Wall Degradation. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, In press, Online ahead of print. ⟨10.1002/anie.202411171⟩. ⟨hal-04700900⟩
Unveiling the role of novel carbohydrate‐binding modules in laminarin interaction of multimodular proteins from marine Bacteroidota during phytoplankton blooms
Marie-Katherin Zühlke, Elizabeth Ficko-Blean, Daniel Bartosik, Nicolas Terrapon, Alexandra Jeudy, et al.. Unveiling the role of novel carbohydrate‐binding modules in laminarin interaction of multimodular proteins from marine Bacteroidota during phytoplankton blooms. Environmental Microbiology, 2024, 26 (5), pp.e16624. ⟨10.1111/1462-2920.16624⟩. ⟨hal-04579759⟩
SusC/D-like proteins in Gammaproteobacteria that utilize fructans
Marie-Katherin Zühlke, Alexandra Bahr, Daniel Bartosik, Vipul Solanki, Michelle Teune, et al.. SusC/D-like proteins in Gammaproteobacteria that utilize fructans. Journal of Cell Science, 2024, 137 (11), ⟨10.1101/2024.09.11.612387⟩. ⟨hal-05013564⟩
The Rhodoexplorer Platform for Red Algal Genomics and Whole-Genome Assemblies for Several Gracilaria Species
Agnieszka P Lipinska, Stacy A Krueger-Hadfield, Olivier Godfroy, Simon M Dittami, Lígia Ayres-Ostrock, et al.. The Rhodoexplorer Platform for Red Algal Genomics and Whole-Genome Assemblies for Several Gracilaria Species. Genome Biology and Evolution, 2023, 15 (7), pp.evad124. ⟨10.1093/gbe/evad124⟩. ⟨hal-04190579⟩
Novel laminarin-binding CBMs in multimodular proteins of marine Bacteroidota feature prominently in phytoplankton blooms
Marie-Katherin Zühlke, Elizabeth Ficko-Blean, Daniel Bartosik, Nicolas Terrapon, Alexandra Jeudy, et al.. Novel laminarin-binding CBMs in multimodular proteins of marine Bacteroidota feature prominently in phytoplankton blooms. 2023. ⟨hal-04260572⟩