4
Keywords Genomics • Metabolomics • Seaweed • Systems biology • Transcriptome
Contents
1.1 Introduction
4
1.2 Need for Functional Genomics
4
1.3 Functional Genomics from the Context of Biofuel
7
1.4 Elite Variety Development
8
1.5 Seaweed Genetic Resource for Translational Research
8
1.6 Conclusion
9
References
10
1.1 Introduction
Marine macroalgae or seaweeds are the assemblage of the macroscopic, multicellular photosynthetic organisms classified in three groups based on their pigmentation and cell architecture as green, red and brown. As an integral component of
marine macrophytes (including seagrass and mangroves), seaweeds occupy the
basal position in aquatic food web. The exceptional chemical diversity of seaweeds
offers a very unique opportunity for their use in food, feed, fertilizer, cosmetics,
pharmaceutical, nutraceuticals, biofuel and agro-based applications (Radulovich
et al. 2015). Seaweed with other macrophytes acts as blue carbon sink as they capture CO 2 , sequester and store it in live tissue or sediment for longer durations.
Macrophytic blue carbon system is considered more efficient than terrestrial systems
(Nellemann et al. 2009; McLeod et al. 2011). The 2009 UNEP blue carbon report
states that coastal macrophytes account for less than 0.5% of the seabed community
structure and sequester between 114 and 328 teragrams of carbon per year or 1.6 to
4.6% of total anthropogenic emissions (7200 Tg per year) (http://www.unep.org/
ecosystemmanagement/Portals/7/Documents/factsheets/BlueCarbonInitiative
FactSheet.pdf). Seaweeds are now globally considered as key drivers for attaining
food and fuel security (Baghel et al. 2015; Trivedi et al. 2016).
1.2 Need for Functional Genomics
The functional diversity among seaweed species can be noted from their diverse
phylogeographic distribution from marine water to brackish water and freshwater
and from the tropical islands to polar regions (Hu et al. 2016). Despite a huge functional diversity, seaweeds do not have morphological or anatomical complexity.
Thus the survival strategies adopted by seaweeds to sustain the highly fluctuating
oceanic conditions, such as desiccation and submergence cycle and associated
V. Gupta et al.
Keywords Genomics • Metabolomics • Seaweed • Systems biology • Transcriptome
Contents
1.1 Introduction
4
1.2 Need for Functional Genomics
4
1.3 Functional Genomics from the Context of Biofuel
7
1.4 Elite Variety Development
8
1.5 Seaweed Genetic Resource for Translational Research
8
1.6 Conclusion
9
References
10
1.1 Introduction
Marine macroalgae or seaweeds are the assemblage of the macroscopic, multicellular photosynthetic organisms classified in three groups based on their pigmentation and cell architecture as green, red and brown. As an integral component of
marine macrophytes (including seagrass and mangroves), seaweeds occupy the
basal position in aquatic food web. The exceptional chemical diversity of seaweeds
offers a very unique opportunity for their use in food, feed, fertilizer, cosmetics,
pharmaceutical, nutraceuticals, biofuel and agro-based applications (Radulovich
et al. 2015). Seaweed with other macrophytes acts as blue carbon sink as they capture CO 2 , sequester and store it in live tissue or sediment for longer durations.
Macrophytic blue carbon system is considered more efficient than terrestrial systems
(Nellemann et al. 2009; McLeod et al. 2011). The 2009 UNEP blue carbon report
states that coastal macrophytes account for less than 0.5% of the seabed community
structure and sequester between 114 and 328 teragrams of carbon per year or 1.6 to
4.6% of total anthropogenic emissions (7200 Tg per year) (http://www.unep.org/
ecosystemmanagement/Portals/7/Documents/factsheets/BlueCarbonInitiative
FactSheet.pdf). Seaweeds are now globally considered as key drivers for attaining
food and fuel security (Baghel et al. 2015; Trivedi et al. 2016).
1.2 Need for Functional Genomics
The functional diversity among seaweed species can be noted from their diverse
phylogeographic distribution from marine water to brackish water and freshwater
and from the tropical islands to polar regions (Hu et al. 2016). Despite a huge functional diversity, seaweeds do not have morphological or anatomical complexity.
Thus the survival strategies adopted by seaweeds to sustain the highly fluctuating
oceanic conditions, such as desiccation and submergence cycle and associated
V. Gupta et al.