Biotechnolog
651
Part E | 26.1
26. Biotechnological Potential of Marine Microbes
Gian M. Luna
The world’s oceans, from the coasts to the abysses,
harbor an incredible level of microbial diversity.
This marine microbial biosphere is an enormous,
untapped resource of biotechnological interest.
This chapter reviews the potential of marine microbes in biotechnology. The biotechnological
potential is considerable, ranging from the synthesis of bioactive molecules to the production
of biofuels, cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, and
biopolymers; from the engineering of marine microbes for biomedical purposes to the degradation
of pollutants, and the use of microbial biosensors as sentinels for environmental quality. Marine
viruses have great biotechnological potential, yet
the exploration of the marine virome, and the
associated gene and protein pool, is only beginning. Marine archaea have so far been exploited
for the isolation of enzymes, yet many biotechnological exploitations can be foreseen. Bacteria
and microbial eukaryotes, especially fungi and
photosynthetic protists, provide an important contribution to biotechnology; the combination of
omics-driven technologies and improved cultivation techniques is widening the knowledge on
26.1 Microbial Diversity in the World’s
Oceans and Biotechnological
Applications of Marine Microbes ........... 651
26.2 Why Do Marine Microbes Matter
in Biotechnology? ................................ 652
26.3 Biotechnology of Marine Microbes,
from Viruses to Microbial Eukaryotes..... 654
26.3.1 Marine Viruses .......................... 654
26.3.2 Marine Archaea . ........................ 654
26.3.3 Marine Bacteria. ........................ 655
26.3.4 Marine Microbial Eukaryotes....... 656
26.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives..... 657
References................................................... 658
their biological diversity, paving the way for new
biotechnological exploitations. The exploration
of the marine microbial biosphere, and its extraordinary genetic and physiological diversity,
will undoubtedly continue to offer chances for
the development of new and sustainable blue
biotechnologies, helping to solve important societal challenges of the twenty-first century.
26.1 Microbial Diversity in the World’s Oceans and Biotechnological
Applications of Marine Microbes
The world’s oceans are the largest ecosystem on Earth.
Life in global oceans is dominated by unicellular microbes, accounting for the largest fraction of biomass
and biodiversity [26.1]. Although microbes play a fundamental role in the productivity, ecosystem functioning, and global biogeochemical cycles of the major
elements [26.2], we still know little about marine microbial diversity, the patterns and driving forces, the
genetic and metabolic repertoire, and the ecological role
each microbial species plays in the ecosystem [26.3].
Little is known about the functions of marine microbes in the ecosystem and their metabolic capabilities
because of the current inability to assign any function to a large proportion of their genes [26.4]. The
vast majority of marine microorganisms cannot be
cultured in the laboratory under standard laboratory
conditions [26.5, 6]. It was only the development of
molecular methods that made it possible to identify
marine microbes [26.7–9], but scientists are merely beginning to gain a comprehensive understanding of the
full extent of microbial biodiversity and functions in the
world’s oceans [26.10].
651
Part E | 26.1
26. Biotechnological Potential of Marine Microbes
Gian M. Luna
The world’s oceans, from the coasts to the abysses,
harbor an incredible level of microbial diversity.
This marine microbial biosphere is an enormous,
untapped resource of biotechnological interest.
This chapter reviews the potential of marine microbes in biotechnology. The biotechnological
potential is considerable, ranging from the synthesis of bioactive molecules to the production
of biofuels, cosmeceuticals, nutraceuticals, and
biopolymers; from the engineering of marine microbes for biomedical purposes to the degradation
of pollutants, and the use of microbial biosensors as sentinels for environmental quality. Marine
viruses have great biotechnological potential, yet
the exploration of the marine virome, and the
associated gene and protein pool, is only beginning. Marine archaea have so far been exploited
for the isolation of enzymes, yet many biotechnological exploitations can be foreseen. Bacteria
and microbial eukaryotes, especially fungi and
photosynthetic protists, provide an important contribution to biotechnology; the combination of
omics-driven technologies and improved cultivation techniques is widening the knowledge on
26.1 Microbial Diversity in the World’s
Oceans and Biotechnological
Applications of Marine Microbes ........... 651
26.2 Why Do Marine Microbes Matter
in Biotechnology? ................................ 652
26.3 Biotechnology of Marine Microbes,
from Viruses to Microbial Eukaryotes..... 654
26.3.1 Marine Viruses .......................... 654
26.3.2 Marine Archaea . ........................ 654
26.3.3 Marine Bacteria. ........................ 655
26.3.4 Marine Microbial Eukaryotes....... 656
26.4 Conclusions and Future Perspectives..... 657
References................................................... 658
their biological diversity, paving the way for new
biotechnological exploitations. The exploration
of the marine microbial biosphere, and its extraordinary genetic and physiological diversity,
will undoubtedly continue to offer chances for
the development of new and sustainable blue
biotechnologies, helping to solve important societal challenges of the twenty-first century.
26.1 Microbial Diversity in the World’s Oceans and Biotechnological
Applications of Marine Microbes
The world’s oceans are the largest ecosystem on Earth.
Life in global oceans is dominated by unicellular microbes, accounting for the largest fraction of biomass
and biodiversity [26.1]. Although microbes play a fundamental role in the productivity, ecosystem functioning, and global biogeochemical cycles of the major
elements [26.2], we still know little about marine microbial diversity, the patterns and driving forces, the
genetic and metabolic repertoire, and the ecological role
each microbial species plays in the ecosystem [26.3].
Little is known about the functions of marine microbes in the ecosystem and their metabolic capabilities
because of the current inability to assign any function to a large proportion of their genes [26.4]. The
vast majority of marine microorganisms cannot be
cultured in the laboratory under standard laboratory
conditions [26.5, 6]. It was only the development of
molecular methods that made it possible to identify
marine microbes [26.7–9], but scientists are merely beginning to gain a comprehensive understanding of the
full extent of microbial biodiversity and functions in the
world’s oceans [26.10].