8 Marine Biotechnology
307
Antimicrobial peptides from marine invertebrates have lately attracted attention, for example peptides from Tachypleus tridentatus (Japanese horse shoe crab)
showed activity against Leishmania braziliensis and Trypanosoma cruzi (Löfgren
et al. 2008), peptides from Ciona intestinalis showed antibacterial activity (Fedders
et al. 2008), as well as peptides from mussels (Mitta et al. 2000).
8.4.12 In Closing
Clearly, the marine environment offers great potential for biotechnological exploitation. As this review shows, this under-utilised resource has been tapped in to
infrequently, but with highly successful results. The recent explosion of interest
in marine genomics combined with the societal shift in opinion towards a greener
living, reducing carbon and environmental footprints, and increased technological efficiency indicates a bright future for marine biotechnology. With 70% of the
planet covered in water, it is obvious that the marine environment will hold the long
term answers to our increasing demands on the Earth’s resources. The potential has
already been shown, what is needed is increased funding for research and a concerted effort by marine scientists to exploit opportunities as they arise. Nature has
taught us to expect the unexpected, and there is no doubt that the marine environment will continue to amaze us with its diversity of function. As biotechnologists,
we must endeavour to capitalise on this wherever and whenever we can.
References
Allen MJ, Schroeder DC, Donkin A et al (2006a) Genome comparison of two Coccolithoviruses.
Virol J 3:15
Allen MJ, Schroeder DC, Holden MT et al (2006b) Evolutionary history of the Coccolithoviridae.
Mol Biol Evol 23:86–92
Allen MJ, Wilson WH (2008) Aquatic virus diversity accessed through omic techniques: a route
map to function. Curr Opin Microbiol 11:226–232
Amador ML, Jimeno J, Paz-Ares L et al (2003) Progress in the development and acquisition of
anticancer agents from marine sources. Ann Oncol 14:1607–1615
Amann RI, Ludwig W, Schleifer K-H (1995) Phylogenetic identification and in situ detection of
individual microbial cells without cultivation. Microbiol Rev 59:143–169
Angly FE, Felts B, Breitbart M et al (2006) The marine viromes of four oceanic regions. PLoS
Biol 4:e368
Bertram M, Hildebrandt P, Weiner D et al (2008) Characterization of lipases and esterases from
metagenomes for lipid modification. J Am Oil Chem Soc 85:47–53
Bhadury P, Mohammad BT, Wright PC (2006) The current status of natural products from marine
fungi and their potential as anti-infective agents. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 33:325–337
Bielaszewska M, Dobrindt U, Gärtner J et al (2007) Aspects of genome plasticity in pathogenic
Escherichia coli. Int J Med Microbiol 297:625–639
Bowler C, Allen AE, Badger JH et al (2008) The Phaeodactylum genome reveals the evolutionary
history of diatom genomes. Nature 456:239–244
Breitbart M, Felts B, Kelley S et al (2004) Diversity and population structure of a near-shore
marine-sediment viral community. Proc Biol Sci 271:565–574
307
Antimicrobial peptides from marine invertebrates have lately attracted attention, for example peptides from Tachypleus tridentatus (Japanese horse shoe crab)
showed activity against Leishmania braziliensis and Trypanosoma cruzi (Löfgren
et al. 2008), peptides from Ciona intestinalis showed antibacterial activity (Fedders
et al. 2008), as well as peptides from mussels (Mitta et al. 2000).
8.4.12 In Closing
Clearly, the marine environment offers great potential for biotechnological exploitation. As this review shows, this under-utilised resource has been tapped in to
infrequently, but with highly successful results. The recent explosion of interest
in marine genomics combined with the societal shift in opinion towards a greener
living, reducing carbon and environmental footprints, and increased technological efficiency indicates a bright future for marine biotechnology. With 70% of the
planet covered in water, it is obvious that the marine environment will hold the long
term answers to our increasing demands on the Earth’s resources. The potential has
already been shown, what is needed is increased funding for research and a concerted effort by marine scientists to exploit opportunities as they arise. Nature has
taught us to expect the unexpected, and there is no doubt that the marine environment will continue to amaze us with its diversity of function. As biotechnologists,
we must endeavour to capitalise on this wherever and whenever we can.
References
Allen MJ, Schroeder DC, Donkin A et al (2006a) Genome comparison of two Coccolithoviruses.
Virol J 3:15
Allen MJ, Schroeder DC, Holden MT et al (2006b) Evolutionary history of the Coccolithoviridae.
Mol Biol Evol 23:86–92
Allen MJ, Wilson WH (2008) Aquatic virus diversity accessed through omic techniques: a route
map to function. Curr Opin Microbiol 11:226–232
Amador ML, Jimeno J, Paz-Ares L et al (2003) Progress in the development and acquisition of
anticancer agents from marine sources. Ann Oncol 14:1607–1615
Amann RI, Ludwig W, Schleifer K-H (1995) Phylogenetic identification and in situ detection of
individual microbial cells without cultivation. Microbiol Rev 59:143–169
Angly FE, Felts B, Breitbart M et al (2006) The marine viromes of four oceanic regions. PLoS
Biol 4:e368
Bertram M, Hildebrandt P, Weiner D et al (2008) Characterization of lipases and esterases from
metagenomes for lipid modification. J Am Oil Chem Soc 85:47–53
Bhadury P, Mohammad BT, Wright PC (2006) The current status of natural products from marine
fungi and their potential as anti-infective agents. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 33:325–337
Bielaszewska M, Dobrindt U, Gärtner J et al (2007) Aspects of genome plasticity in pathogenic
Escherichia coli. Int J Med Microbiol 297:625–639
Bowler C, Allen AE, Badger JH et al (2008) The Phaeodactylum genome reveals the evolutionary
history of diatom genomes. Nature 456:239–244
Breitbart M, Felts B, Kelley S et al (2004) Diversity and population structure of a near-shore
marine-sediment viral community. Proc Biol Sci 271:565–574