Evolution of Protist Symbioses Laboratory (Elisabeth Christine Hehenberger)

Plastid endosymbiosis was a major evolutionary transition, introducing photosynthesis to eukaryotes and shaping a vast diversity of primary producers. Yet, we do not know how this process works.

In my group we are using dinoflagellates, an extremely diverse, abundant and widespread group of microbial eukaryotes, to study the process of plastid endosymbiosis. Dinoflagellates are characterized by their extremely dynamic plastid evolution: they have been described to have replaced their ancestral plastid several times with new, permanent plastids from various algal donors. In addition, they have evolved the mechanism of kleptoplasty – the stealing and transient retention of plastids from their algal prey – more frequently than any other group.