Dr. Jackie Collier, assistant professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at Stony Brook University will join the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute in a project to sequence the genomes of four species of labyrinthulomycetes.
In additon to understanding how these little critters break down often hard to decompose, the information in their gene sequences could unlock information on how certain enzymes produced by labyrinthulomycetes can actually break down crude oil. Also, scientists are researching if oils produces by labyrinthulomycetes could be used to replace fish oils used as meal for fish farms. If so, the breakthrough could greatly reduce the amount of fish that are caught in the ocean to be used as food for other fish.
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