Emiliania huxleyi  is estimated to be the most abundant eukaryote in the ocean and is a key player in photosynthesis and biomineralization, and through release of volatile sulphur compounds in response to biotic and abiotic stress.  With the availability of genomic tools, including microarrays and full genome sequence, E. huxleyi has also become a powerful model organism for examining the mechanism of biomineralization.

 

Coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi                                   Image courtesy of Dr Keith Ryan, Marine Biological Association & Dr Willie Wilson, Plymouth Marine Laboratory