Phytoplankton responses to marine climate change – an introduction

Phytoplankton are one of the key players in the ocean and contribute approximately 50% to global primary production. They serve as the basis for marine food webs, drive chemical composition of the global atmosphere and thereby climate. Seasonal environmental changes and nutrient availability naturally influence phytoplankton species composition. Since the industrial era, anthropogenic climatic influences have increased noticeably – also within the ocean. Our changing climate, however, affects the composition of phytoplankton species composition on a long-term basis and requires the organisms to adapt to this changing environment, influencing micronutrient bioavailability and other biogeochemical parameters. At the same time, phytoplankton themselves can influence the climate with their responses to environmental changes. Due to its key role, phytoplankton has been of interest in marine sciences for quite some time and there are several methodical approaches implemented in oceanographic sciences. There are ongoing attempts to improve predictions and to close gaps in the understanding of this sensitive ecological system and its responses

Mitochondrial tumour suppressors: A genetic and biochemical update

Since the discovery 5 years ago that the D-subunit of succinate dehydrogenase ( SDHD) can behave as a classic tumour suppressor, other nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins (SDHB, SDHC and fumarate hydratase) have been implicated in tumour susceptibility. Mutations in these proteins are principally involved in familial predisposition to benign tumours, but the spectrum of inherited lesions is increasingly recognized to include malignant tumours, such as malignant phaeochromocytomas and renal cell carcinomas. Here we review recent advances in the field of mitochondrial tumour suppressors, the biochemical pathway that links mitochondrial dysfunction with tumorigenesis, and potential therapeutic approaches to these malignancies