Borg lab
CURRENT PROJECTS
Our primary research focus are the red algae, a highly diverse phylum of photosynthetic organisms within the Archaeplastida (or Plantae) kingdom that were one of the first eukaryotic lineages to evolve multicellularity. Although most red seaweeds exhibit remarkably complex reproductive processes that rival the sophistication found in land plants, they have largely been overlooked and we still know very little about how they function at the molecular level.
By integrating genetics, genomics, cell biology, biochemistry and evolutionary approaches with a burgeoning model system we have established, we aim to understand how these fundamental processes are regulated in red algae and how they interact at an ecological level to drive adaptation in natural populations. More broadly, our investigation of these enigmatic eukaryotes is uncovering striking similarities with their sister green lineage, providing fundamental and much-needed insight into the evolutionary origins of complex multicellular plant life.
Genome evolution and adaptations driving red algal diversity
The majority of the Rhodophyta phylogeny is largely composed of just one class called the Florideophyceae (~95%). Strikingly, more than a third (~36%) of all taxa are assigned to the Ceramiales, an order that is distinguished for its morphological and reproductive complexity. Our goal is to assemble high-quality chromosome-level assemblies in this order to address long-standing questions about genome expansion, evolution and species radiation within this dominant red algal order.
​
Regulatory control of the triphasic life cycle
Central to the evolutionary success of plants and algae is an elaborate life cycle where distinct multicellular life forms or generations alternate with one another. This so-called alternation of generations has arisen independently in at least three eukaryotic lineages, yet we still know remarkably little about its diversity and control across the tree of life. The vast majority of the Florideophyceae have an enigmatic life cycle with not only two but three distinct generations. Our goal is to tackle fundamental questions about the origin, evolution and control of the triphasic life cycle, and in turn provide important insights into a reproductive strategy employed by the overwhelming majority of red seaweeds
