Chapter 8
Marine Biotechnology
Joel Querellou, Jean-Paul Cadoret, Michael J. Allen, and Jonas Collén
Abstract Biotechnology based upon genes from the marine environment (sometimes referred to as “blue-biotechnology”) has a considerable, if hitherto relatively
unused, potential because of the enormous phylogenetic diversity of marine organisms and the potential for novel undiscovered biological mechanisms, including
biochemical pathways. The increasing knowledge of marine genomics has started
to have a major impact on the field of marine biotechnology. The advent of the
sequenced genome and the development of important metagenomic resources is
providing new access to the metabolic diversity of the oceans and is thereby greatly
facilitating the development of new products derived from marine biotechnology.
This chapter is a brief description of the field of marine biotechnology describing
some of the products that have been realised and an analysis of how new genomic
resources are being acquired and how they will change the landscape of future
marine biotechnology.
8.1 A Brief Description of the Field of Marine Biotechnology
A simple definition of marine biotechnology is: the use of marine organisms or
their components to provide goods or services. Within this chapter we will review
several aspects of marine biotechnology with an emphasis on domains other than
food production. Rather than providing a generic introduction to marine biotechnology, we will aim to highlight areas where, in our opinion, the interaction between
genomics and biotechnology represents a powerful approach to address future
challenges.
J. Collén (B)
Station Biologique de Roscoff, UMR 7139, BP 74, 29682, Roscoff cedex, France
e-mail: collen@sb-roscoff.fr
287
J.M. Cock et al. (eds.), Introduction to Marine Genomics,
Advances in Marine Genomics 1, DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8639-6_8,
C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
Marine Biotechnology
Joel Querellou, Jean-Paul Cadoret, Michael J. Allen, and Jonas Collén
Abstract Biotechnology based upon genes from the marine environment (sometimes referred to as “blue-biotechnology”) has a considerable, if hitherto relatively
unused, potential because of the enormous phylogenetic diversity of marine organisms and the potential for novel undiscovered biological mechanisms, including
biochemical pathways. The increasing knowledge of marine genomics has started
to have a major impact on the field of marine biotechnology. The advent of the
sequenced genome and the development of important metagenomic resources is
providing new access to the metabolic diversity of the oceans and is thereby greatly
facilitating the development of new products derived from marine biotechnology.
This chapter is a brief description of the field of marine biotechnology describing
some of the products that have been realised and an analysis of how new genomic
resources are being acquired and how they will change the landscape of future
marine biotechnology.
8.1 A Brief Description of the Field of Marine Biotechnology
A simple definition of marine biotechnology is: the use of marine organisms or
their components to provide goods or services. Within this chapter we will review
several aspects of marine biotechnology with an emphasis on domains other than
food production. Rather than providing a generic introduction to marine biotechnology, we will aim to highlight areas where, in our opinion, the interaction between
genomics and biotechnology represents a powerful approach to address future
challenges.
J. Collén (B)
Station Biologique de Roscoff, UMR 7139, BP 74, 29682, Roscoff cedex, France
e-mail: collen@sb-roscoff.fr
287
J.M. Cock et al. (eds.), Introduction to Marine Genomics,
Advances in Marine Genomics 1, DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-8639-6_8,
C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010