CaCHE

Anthropogenic driven climate change is an increasing global problem. Marine invertebrates, such as molluscs have been highlighted as being particularly at risk under future climate change scenarios due to the acidification and warming of the world’s oceans. It is predicted that their heavily calcified shells will become thinner as sea water becomes more acidic, not only changing their role as a CO2 sink but also profoundly impacting the ecological balance and biodiversity. In this context the CACHE ITN F7 programme was granted to train future scientists in multidisciplinary approaches to push forward the understanding of shell production in the changing marine environment. The network aims to study how shells are produced and controlled in four of Europe’s most important commercial marine shellfish species, Pecten maximus (king scallop); Crassostrea gigas (Pacific oyster); Mytilus edulis (blue mussel); Mya arenaria (soft shell clam). An in-depth comparative approach, using the four molluscan non-model organisms examines natural variation in shell production in combination with experimental manipulations to quantify adaptive potential and identify novel genes/proteins that underpin responses to environmental change. By embedding the projects in natural population surveys, we could gain an unprecedented understanding of the level of phenotypic plasticity that operates in bivalve shell production: an essential prerequisite for understanding their resilience to environmental perturbation.

BOREA was associate partner for the “Identification of genes and proteins involved in shell production” CACHE workpackage. This WP takes a systematic NGS approach to uncovering novel transcripts and proteins involved in shell production and maintenance in response to environmental perturbation.

A workshop « Analysis of shell microstructure, mineralogy and organic matrix composition » was held in the MNHN, with lectures and practical sessions on the mechanisms of shell secretion using an exploration of the range of different shell mineralogies and microstructures. A practical know-how session in preparing and examining shell microstructures and compositions using SEM, TEM and MS and an introduction to proteomics was proposed thanks to the MNHN facilities.

In fact, for each Early-stage-researchers, the CACHE ITN F7 programme embraces a vast individual career development plan including training courses, established PhD programs in partner locations and work placement course in industry, run in tandem with CACHE techniques workshops (TW) and master classes in transferrable skills.

By september 4th 2017, Jaison Arivalagan the CACHE fellow BOREA has hosted, passed his viva thesis defense titled « Insights from shell proteome : Biomineralization control and environmental adaptation in bivalves » , co-supervised by Arul Marie UMR 7245 MCAM and Sophie Berland , UMR 7208 BOREA , ‘Evolution of biomineralizations and Adaptation to environmental Constraints’ team.

Funding: Marie Curie Initial Training Network (ITN) European Research Agency (REA) FP7 programme

Coordinator: Prof. Melody Clark, The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) Cambridge UK