Diatoms for omics applications in water monitoring

Diatoms are driving forces in marine and freshwater ecosystems by sustaining aquatic food webs and by having leading roles in the fixation of carbon and silica. The morphological diversity of the silicified cell walls from different diatom species has for long been used for the biotic characterization of environmental samples. This has been accomplished by the development of microscopic-based diatom biological indices that provided information on the diversity and abundance of the different species. Recent developments in omics technologies, coupled with bioinformatic tools for complex omics data analysis is opening the doors for the use of diatoms as target organisms in the assessment of water quality using molecular studies. Specific universal genes of interest are being used to characterize the diatom populations in environmental samples. In addition, fully sequenced diatom species are currently being applied for toxicological studies aiming at the unveiling of the mode of action of pollutants. It is envisioned that molecular studies on diatoms will become major tools in the ecological assessment of environmental samples, matching their key roles in the ecosystem.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource