Recently, these organisms have drawn notice for their ability to clean up pollutants from land and degrade petroleum. Marine microorganisms are also directly
involved in the fixing of carbon dioxide and the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide and
methane, making them directly connected to our living environment.
Marine microorganisms may attach to plants and animals inhabiting the ocean,
exist in symbiotic relationships within animal intestines or plant issues according to
their benefit or convenience, or exist in parasitic or predatory relationships. The fact
that marine microorganisms maintain such close interactive relationships with
plants and animals means that various substances (including bioactive ones) are
produced and shared among them. Examples of these bioactive substances include
antibiotic and antiviral substances, toxic substances, enzymes and their inhibitors,
hormones, and transmitters. Marine microorganisms are also necessarily implicated
in issues that are currently the focus of global attention, including the control of
pollution within the marine environment. This includes the prevention of damage to
coastal fishery environments due to pollution or contamination, the prevention of
red tides, degradation of petroleum and pesticides, and the control of pollutants in
fish farms (Pandey and Purushothaman 2006).
Much of the research conducted on marine microorganisms has concerned
E. coli, yeasts, and actinomycetes present in coastal regions due to pollution. In
contrast, research on marine bacteria inhabiting specific environments is in its early
stages. Microorganisms are present in low concentrations in the open seas; typically, the amount of bacteria cultured in agar medium ranges between 1/100 and
1/1000 when viewed under a microscope. Studying microorganisms that inhabit
special environments requires the use of molecular biology metholods, as well as
advanced analytical equipment to perform on-site structural analysis on microorganism community.
The physiological and ecological properties of the ultra-high-temperature bacteria (200–350 °C) found around deep-sea hydrothermal vents have been identified
by various research teams around the world, and the special substances contained in
them are currently under development for different purposes.
The fact that one of the known substances, the puffer fish poison tetrodotoxin, is
produced by microorganisms from the genera Vibrio and Alteromonas suggests that
new, as yet undiscovered functional substances could be developed from
microorganisms inhabiting special environments.
Also found in marine microorganisms are unsaturated fatty acids produced by
marine microalgae, including r-linolenic acid, EPA, fucothiamine, and b-carotene.
This shows the important role that microorganisms play in the circulation of matter
within the oceans, including the synthesis, degradation, and formation of organic
materials.
Marine photosynthetic bacteria can help to purify the environment by breaking
down organic materials. New bacteria have been developed to serve as basic feed in
seedling production, serving as a basis for new strain development. The future may
yet see the use of these marine microorganism-produced materials to develop
potentially helpful substances for the treatment of incurable diseases and other issues
(Kim and Dewapriya 2013).
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11 Marine Microorganism Resources and Biotechnology
involved in the fixing of carbon dioxide and the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide and
methane, making them directly connected to our living environment.
Marine microorganisms may attach to plants and animals inhabiting the ocean,
exist in symbiotic relationships within animal intestines or plant issues according to
their benefit or convenience, or exist in parasitic or predatory relationships. The fact
that marine microorganisms maintain such close interactive relationships with
plants and animals means that various substances (including bioactive ones) are
produced and shared among them. Examples of these bioactive substances include
antibiotic and antiviral substances, toxic substances, enzymes and their inhibitors,
hormones, and transmitters. Marine microorganisms are also necessarily implicated
in issues that are currently the focus of global attention, including the control of
pollution within the marine environment. This includes the prevention of damage to
coastal fishery environments due to pollution or contamination, the prevention of
red tides, degradation of petroleum and pesticides, and the control of pollutants in
fish farms (Pandey and Purushothaman 2006).
Much of the research conducted on marine microorganisms has concerned
E. coli, yeasts, and actinomycetes present in coastal regions due to pollution. In
contrast, research on marine bacteria inhabiting specific environments is in its early
stages. Microorganisms are present in low concentrations in the open seas; typically, the amount of bacteria cultured in agar medium ranges between 1/100 and
1/1000 when viewed under a microscope. Studying microorganisms that inhabit
special environments requires the use of molecular biology metholods, as well as
advanced analytical equipment to perform on-site structural analysis on microorganism community.
The physiological and ecological properties of the ultra-high-temperature bacteria (200–350 °C) found around deep-sea hydrothermal vents have been identified
by various research teams around the world, and the special substances contained in
them are currently under development for different purposes.
The fact that one of the known substances, the puffer fish poison tetrodotoxin, is
produced by microorganisms from the genera Vibrio and Alteromonas suggests that
new, as yet undiscovered functional substances could be developed from
microorganisms inhabiting special environments.
Also found in marine microorganisms are unsaturated fatty acids produced by
marine microalgae, including r-linolenic acid, EPA, fucothiamine, and b-carotene.
This shows the important role that microorganisms play in the circulation of matter
within the oceans, including the synthesis, degradation, and formation of organic
materials.
Marine photosynthetic bacteria can help to purify the environment by breaking
down organic materials. New bacteria have been developed to serve as basic feed in
seedling production, serving as a basis for new strain development. The future may
yet see the use of these marine microorganism-produced materials to develop
potentially helpful substances for the treatment of incurable diseases and other issues
(Kim and Dewapriya 2013).
382
11 Marine Microorganism Resources and Biotechnology