Marion Guéganton

Marion Guéganton Acquisition of the symbiotic partner: terms and conditions and consequences on the establishment, distribution, and ecology of hydrothermal species. Or Symbosis in two shrimps (Rimicaris exoculata et Rimicaris chacei)

Marion is studying two types of shrimp that live in extreme environments. They live around hydrothermal chimneys, over 3000 m under the sea. Those shrimps, one at least, cannot live without the bacteria that live with them (their symbiont).

First, Marion described all the digestive anatomy of the shrimps. She has studied, with a microscope, the localization of different symbionts. She used many techniques, including fluorescence microscopy.

Then she tried to understand the acquisition mode of those symbiotes: where they present from the youngest stage or not? And how do those bacterial communities evolve inside the shrimps?

Why this subject ?

At the beginning, Marion had little knowledge of this subject, but she thought why not? The marine subject and working on those not well-known environments by the public, always interested her. She also questioned herself, why the shrimps Rimicaris exoculata and Rimicaris chacei? But they are not simple shrimps. It’s a complex association. Moreover, this subject enables her to do microscopy. This gave her a vivid image of what was happening inside the shrimps.

 A funny story related to this subject ?

During her M2 internship, Marion had to get her sample back from the cold store at minus 20°C. She first went to the 4°C room before entering the cold room via the big door. But when she wanted to go out, the door was stuck. Somebody had put a cart full of vials behind the door. Marion find herself stuck. After a moment, she managed to force it a bit to get out of this situation. Moral of the story: always check the presence of a colleague before putting a cart in the cold store!