Our work will determine the chemotaxonomic significance of variability in these and other potential biomarkers and palaeothermometer calibrations will be performed on species containing the alkenones. Determine coccolith ultrastructure and ontogeny. Work on the keystone taxa will test and develop the model of Young et al. Determine photosynthetic pigment composition. Pigment composition variations are of importance for the ecological adaptation of taxa and for remote sensing detection.
Measure plastid genome size.
Investigations will indicate whether this is a universal feature and probe its implications. Tuf A genes and non-coding regions. These are slow to fast evolving components of the genome ideal for investigating high level phylogeny and relationships with other algal groups. Analyse the palaeontological record of ancestral lineages to determine divergence times. Reconstruct the sequence of major evolutionary steps in coccolithogenesis, lipid biochemistry, plastid evolution, and life cycle differentiation.