Blue biotechnologyTechnology in Color Blue!
Niranjana Menon
2016 – 11 - 109
Blue biotechnology is the application of
molecular biological methods
to marine and freshwater organisms
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Important marine sources and research areas
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Research area Marine source Aims
Food Algae, invertebrates,
fishes
Development of innovative methods
To increase aquaculture production
Zero waste recirculation systems
Energy AlgaeBiofuel production
Biorefineries
HealthAlgae, sponge,
microorganismsTo find novel bioactives
Environment Marine organisms
Biosensing technologies for marine
environment monitors
Non-toxic antifouling technology
Industrial
productsAlgae
Production of marine biopolymers for
food, cosmetics, and health
[Springer Handbook of Marine Biotechnology]
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Tools & diagnostics for reproduction &
growth
Genetics, physiology, biochemistry, ecology
Bioactive compounds-function & mode of action
Role of Blue Biotechnology
How does it relate to industry and
agriculture?
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Marine biotechnology securing food supply
To satisfy the growing demand for high quality and healthy
products from fisheries and aquaculture in a sustainable way.
Intensive aquaculture
Examples
Marine derived food additives
Marine derived nutraceutics
Marine derived E-numbers
Marine biotechnological progresses in aquaculture
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Marine biotechnology securing alternative sources of
renewable energy
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Examples
Production of biofuel from macroalgae
Production of oil from microalgae
Research priorities to improve microbial enhanced oil recovery
Marine biotechnology securing human health
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Examples
Marine derived anticancer drugs
Marine derived painkillers
Marine derived antibiotics
Marine derived cosmetics
The sponge Stylissa massa produces an
unusual compound palau'amine, with
antimicrobial activity
Marine biotechnology securing industrial products
and processes
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GFP (Green Fluorescent Protein) from jellyfish (Aequorea
victoria) and luciferase enzyme from Vibrio fischeri have
widespread applications in molecular biology as a reporter
protein.
Shrimp alkaline phosphatase and other marine derived
enzymes with unique heat labile properties used to simplify
molecular biology reactions like PCR and others
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Examples
Marine derived enzymes
Marine derived biopolymers
Marine derived biomaterials
Marine biotechnology securing environmental health
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Examples
Marine derived antifouling strategies
Marine habitat restoration
Bioremediation of marine ecosystems
Biosensing
Biostimulation
Bioaugmentation
Application of blue biotechnology
Aquaculture
Transgenic
Disease Resistance
Conservation
Seaweeds and their Products
Pharmaceuticals
Enzymes
Biomolecules
Bioremediation
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Aquaculture
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Substantial commercialization of aquaculture
Improve:
Health
Reproduction
Development and growth
of aquatic organisms
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Transgenic fish
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Production of transgenic fish much easier than producing other
transgenic mammals
Fish produce a large number of eggs can generate large quantities of
genetically uniform material for experimentation
Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) 500,015,000 eggs
Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) 1, 00,000 eggs
First successful case of transgenic fish was reported by Zhu et al.,
1985 - microinjected the human GH gene into the fertilized eggs of
goldfish (Carassius auratus L.)
Followed by successful introduction of human GH gene into the
genome of the loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) with resulting
transgenic fish that grew 3 to 4.6 times faster than the control within
the first 135 d (Zhu et al.,1986).
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Chinook salmonOcean pout
AquAdvantage salmon
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A patented brand of genetically modified (GM) fluorescent
Zebra fish (Danio rerio) with bright red, green, and orange
fluorescent colors
GloFish TM are available in six striking colors:
Starfire Red®
Cosmic Blue®
Electric Green®
Galactic Purple®
Sunburst Orange®
Moonrise Pink®
GloFish™
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Transgenic Growth-Enhanced Tilapia20
Transgenic Growth-Enhanced Loach21
Current and potential applications of transgenic fish
Growth enhancement
Freeze resistance and cold tolerance
Salinity tolerance
Disease resistance
Metabolic modification
Improved product for the consumer
Fishpharming production of pharmacological proteins
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Disease Resistance
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A major limitation - outbreak of disease - farmed fish are
generally cultured at high densities and under stress -
bacterial infection (Hew et al.,1995).
Example catfish industry - Channel catfish (Ictalurus
punctatus)
Antibiotics -- limited number have been approved for use
in aquaculture
Introduction of disease resistance genes from wild spp. or
other sources
Conservation
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United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS)
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Molecular tools can be used to identify and characterize important
aquatic germplasm including many endangered species. These
tools have made it possible to analyze the genomes of many
aquatic species. They have also helped us understand the
molecular basis of gene regulation, expression and sex
determination. This can improve the methodologies for defining
species, stocks and populations.
Such molecular approaches include:
Developing marker-assisted selection technologies
Improving precision and efficiency of transgenic techniques
DNA fingerprinting to know polymorphism in fish stocks
Improving technologies for cryopreservation of gametes and
embryos
Seaweeds and their products
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Nutraceuticals (food)
Biodiesel
Stabalizing agents - Chondrus crispus
Bioremediation - Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb
Pollution indicator
Production of Hydrogen -
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Single cell protein
Tofu - Japanese cuisine
Gel electrophoresis
SCP - Chlorella
Fuels from algae
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Renewable and no damage to the environment.
Biomass can be converted by bacteria to fuels such as methane.
Dunaliella is an alga that can produce glycerol, which can be
converted by bacteria to chemicals such as ethanol and
butanol, which can be used as fuels.
Algae may also be genetically modified to make gasoline-type
fuels.
Algal food products
Microalgae (green algae and cyanobacteria): mostly as food,
but also used as pigment sources such as β-carotene.
Algae such as Spirulina and Chlorella are of much nutritional
value.
Spirulina is marketed today as dried flakes that are used in
fish food and Japanese food.
Spirulina – SCP, capsules for space researchers
Phycobiliproteins are pigments involved in algal
photosynthesis, and can be used as phycofluors, which can
label biological molecules.
ICAR - CMFRI patented products and techniques
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Shore pearl culture
technology
Green mussels
extract (GMe) for
arthritis
Hatchery technology
for clown fish
Pharmaceuticals
Research on the use of collagen from marine invertebrates
in wound healing and product development
Taq DNA polymerase - Thermus aquaticus
Pfu DNA polymerase - Pyrococcus furiosus
DNA ligase - Thermococcus fumicolans
GFP - Aequorea victoria
Shrimp alkaline phosphatases - Pandalus borealis
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Enzymes
Bioremediation
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Ananda Mohan Chakrabarty, an Indian - born scientist
working at GE in the 1960’s and 1970’s, developed the multi-
plasmid hydrocarbon - degrading Pseudomonas and
patented it in 1971.
First time anyone had patented a living organism.
Pseudomonas putida - degrades the hydrocarbon present in oil
spliis
Examples of market level marine - derived products
Products Source Application
Ara-A Marine sponge Antiviral
Ara-C Marine sponge Anticancer
Okadaic acid Dinoflagellate Molecular probe
Manolide Marine sponge Molecular probe
Vent TMA polymeraseDeep-sea hydrothermal
vent bacteriumPCR enzyme
AequorinBioluminescent jelly
fish
Bioluminescent calcium
indicator
Green flourescent proteinBioluminescent jelly
fishReporter gene
Phycoerythrin Red algae
Conjugated antibodies used
in ELISA and flow
cytometry
CephalosporinsCephalosporium sp.,
marine fungiAntibiotic 33
THANK YOU
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Marine derived food additives
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Antioxidants
Polyamines such as Spermine and Spermidine
Sulfated polysacchrides from brown algae
Astaxanthin: pigmented antioxidant in microalgae
Taste – adding substances
Lipids
Photosynthetic pigments
Polysaccharides
Protein
Slide 5
Marine derived nutraceutics
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Bioactive peptides
Fish oils
Fish proteins
Seaweeds
Macroalgae & microalgae
Amino acids
Omega-3 oils
All kinds of phytochemicals
Slide 5
Marine derived E-numbers
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E-numbers -- code names for different kinds of substances
that are used as food additives
E 406 – Agar -- Gelidium, Pterocladia & Gracilaria.
E400 – 405 -- Alginates
E 407 -- Carrageenan
Slide 5
Marine biotechnology securing human health
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Elysia rufescens Dolabella auricularia Trididemnum solidum
Kahalalide-F
Antitumor
Dolastatin 10
Antimitotic
Didemnin-B
Herpes simplex virus
Conus magus
Ziconotide (prialt)
Chronic pain
Slide 8
Biosensing
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To monitor the in situ marine environment.
Monitoring can be:
Analysis of the water quality
Prediction & detection of harmful algal blooms (HAB)
Estimation of environmental and human health risks.
Microalgal fiber optic biosensors
Automated online optical biosensing systems (AOBS)
Surface plasma resonance (SPR)
Biosensors to detect marine toxins in seafood
Wearable electrochemical sensors
Slide 10
Marine derived antifouling strategies
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Biofouling -- accumulation of microorganisms, plants,
algae, or animals on wetted surfaces.
Antifouling -- ability of specifically designed materials
and coatings to remove or prevent biofouling by any
number of organisms on wetted surfaces.
Biocides -- chemical substances that deter the
microorganisms responsible for biofouling.
Tributyltin moiety (TBT) and tin-based anti-fouling
coatings
Slide
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Bioremediation of marine ecosystems
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Microorganisms transform organic contaminants in
oceans, soils, groundwater, sludge and solids, into an
energy source, cometabolizing substances with another
energy source.
In the case of larger oil spills, residual oil can be further
broken down by biostimulation
Slide
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Biostimulation
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Addition of specific nutrients, air, organic substrates or
other electron donors/acceptors, nutrients, and other
compounds that affect and normally limit treatment in their
absence.
Microorganisms will clean the waste source more efficiently
and faster than in normal circumstances
Examples: grease accumulation in sewers and grease traps
Slide 10
Bioaugmentation
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Treatment where you want to achieve a controlled, predictable
and programmed biodegradation.
The controlled addition of specially formulated microbial cultures
that assist those found naturally in the soil.
Done in conjunction and monitoring of an ideal growth
environment in which these selected bacteria can live and work
Specific strains of anaerobic microorganisms have been isolated,
cultured and are commercially available for the biodegradation of
the chlorinated contaminants VC. Bio-Dechlor INOCULUM®
Plus is a widely used bioaugmentation culture designed
specifically for this purpose.
Slide 10