ERC Consolidator Grant · 2025
Exploring Microalgae as Cellular Factories for Molecular Crystals
Until now, the field of organic biomineralization has focused on the optical functions of organic crystals in animals. However, the recent discovery that purine crystals are widespread in unicellular microalgae is a paradigm shift in this field. In contrast to animals, microalgae use the nitrogen-rich crystals as dense, metabolically inert nitrogen reserves, to overcome deficiencies in environmental nitrogen. Almost nothing is known about the chemistry of these crystals, their formation, or the wider implications of their nitrogen storage functions on microalgae behavior. Our overarching goal is to understand microscale molecular crystallization in microalgae and its impact on macroscale…
From the public funding record at EU CORDIS. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.