Post on 19-Mar-2018
Aquatic Biotech Page 1
NSF Award
# 0401988
AQUATIC BIOTECHNOLOGY
A Resource Guide for Biotechnology Club
Sponsors
This chapter contains background information,
experiment ideas and contact suggestions. Topics
covered include:
Aquaculture
Therapeutic/medicines
Aquatic animal health and seafood safety
Algae cultivation
Aquatic Biotech Page 2
Aquatic Biotechnology
The ocean has the oldest, most diverse, most numerous and least studied organisms on
earth. It covers almost three fourths of our planet and has the potential to feed the world
and supply cures for many diseases. Studying sea plants and animals is a challenge that is
becoming easier due to advanced technologies such as deep-sea submersibles, sonar,
lasers, videos, and satellites. Biotechnology contributes to current or potential uses of
marine products in the areas of:
Aquaculture*
Conservation of marine ecosystems
Therapeutics/medicines*
Aquatic animal health and seafood safety*
Biomedical research
Algae cultivation*
*The items indicated are presented in more detail for possible club/classroom adaptation.
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Aquaculture: Increasing the World’s Food Supply Aquaculture is the cultivation of aquatic animals and plants for recreational or
commercial purposes. It is very similar to land-based farming techniques with species
being grown to be used for human consumption, baitfish, growing pearls, isolating
pharmaceutical agents, breeding ornamental fish and propagating fish to stock
recreational areas. Eggs and sperm from breeder fish are harvested from adults, fertilized
and develop into embryos in special tanks before being transferred to outdoor ponds.
Researchers use selective breeding techniques to produce animals with desirable
characteristics. Scientists are also studying the genome of different species to identify
genes that contribute to properties such as growth rate, fat content, texture, taste, color
and disease resistance to produce transgenic fish with enhanced properties.
Internet background:
A New Kind of Fish Story: The Coming of Biotech Animals (Click here for web
snapshot) Page 9
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2001/101_fish.html#creating
TheFishSite.com - the website for fish production & aquaculture! Current news articles
on Health & Welfare, Hatcheries, Reproduction & Genetics, Feeds & Nutrition,
Technology & Equipment, Biosecurity & Hygiene, Environment, Water Quality,
Transport, Processing, and Markets & Economics.
http://www.thefishsite.com/features.asp
NOAA's Undersea Research Program 1315 East-West Highway, R/NURP - Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: (301) 713-2427
Marine Biotechnology. Videos available from home page. http://www.nurp.noaa.gov/Biotech.htm
Lab activity:
Transgenic salmon: This site contains a complete unit on the various aspects of
transgenic salmon. After looking at the pros and cons, students are given a role-play
position and required to encourage voters to support or reject the creation of transgenic
salmon. A copy of the lesson is included in this publication. (Click here for web
snapshot) Page 10
http://www.wabr.org/education/articles/2002TransgenicSalmonUnit.doc
Local Contacts:
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The Texas Aquaculture Association is an association of entities with interest in the
commercial production of shrimp, redfish, tilapia, channel catfish, hybrid striped bass,
baitfish production as well as the production of stocker fish, ornamental fish, and pond
and lake management. LABB Director: Dr. Markus Horning Ft. Crockett Campus, Bldg 3311 annex, Galveston, TX
Laboratory for Applied Biotelemetry & Biotechnology at the Department of Marine Biology at Texas A&M University Galveston!
http://www.texasaquaculture.org/id4.htm
Fish Health and Genetics Laboratory at A.E. Wood Fish Hatchery located in San
Marcos, TX (Click here for web snapshot) Page 17
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/hatcheries/fw_fish_lab/
Texas Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service
2700 Earl Rudder Freeway South, Suite 1800
College Station, TX 77845
979.845.3854
http://texas-sea-grant.tamu.edu/mas/index.php
Field Trip:
Lake Jackson Fish Hatchery:
Free tours of facility are available.
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/ fish/management/hatcheries/
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Therapeutics/Medicines Currently, relatively few products derived from aquatic organisms are used in medical
applications, but this is rapidly changing. A wide number of marine species contain
compounds of interest including antibiotics, antiviral molecules, anticancer compounds,
and insecticides. Some examples of marine animals and their special characteristics
include:
Salmon: produce calcitonin (needed to prevent osteoporosis) with 20 times higher
bioactivity than that of human calcitonin.
Corals: produce Hydroxyapatite (HA) which is an important component of bone
and cartilage. Researchers are hoping to implant HA into fractured bones or around the
root of a tooth.
Mussels: produce byssal fibers which are protein-rich super adhesives used for
clinging to rocks or pilings. Scientists are using recombinant DNA techniques to express
the byssal fiber genes in bacterial and yeast to produce these adhesive proteins on a large
scale. Potential uses include auto tires, shoes, bone and teeth repair, surgical sutures and
artificial tendon and ligament grafts.
Pacific sponges: produce Manoalide which is a non-steroidal compound.
Plankton: has been shown to contain anti-tumor and cancer-treating abilities.
Pufferfish: produce one of the most toxic poisons ever discovered (nearly 10,000
times more lethal than cyanide).
Dogfish sharks: contain a steroid called squalamine that appears to be a potent
antifungal that may be used to treat life-threatening fungal infections.
Snails: have a neurotoxin that has painkiller properties 10,000 times more potent
than morphine without the side effects.
The development of drugs from marine organisms can be highly profitable. The
extraction of arabinosides from the sponge, Tethya crypta, leads to more than $50 million
annual sales in derived antiviral medicines. Pseudopterosins are a type of chemical with
anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties which were discovered in a coral,
Pseudoterigorgia elisabethae, in the Bahamas. Eventually a pure form was developed and
is now used in Estee Lauder skin care products. In 1995 pseudopterosin was among the
University of California's top ten most valuable royalty generating inventions. Today it
has an annual market value of $3-4 million.
In addition to pharmaceuticals, biotechnologists are studying marine life from a
biomedical approach in order to better understand the human body. Biologists value
marine organisms because they serve as excellent models: simple versions of more
complex organisms. Studying life processes in marine animals, scientists learn how the
same events occur in the human body -- and how they go awry when disease strikes.
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Internet background:
Cloned Gene from Sea Animal May Prove Key in Cancer Drug Development Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San
Diego, and their colleagues have taken a significant step forward in developing a new
method to produce drug compounds with potential to treat various types of cancer.
Includes video clips. (Click here for web snapshot) Page 12
http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=661
Ocean Sponge Has Best Fiber Optics by VIKRAM C. SUNDAR, ANDREW D. YABLON, JOHN L. GRAZUL,
MICHA ILAN & JOANNA AIZENBERG, Nature
21 August 2003
The spicules of the deep-sea 'glass' sponge Euplectella have remarkable fiber-optical
properties, which are surprisingly similar to those of commercial telecommunication
fibers. (Click here for web snapshot) Page 13
http://www.nature.com/cg ... a_fs.html. (full article available with subscription)
http://www.phschool.com/science/science_news/articles/channel_deepc_light.html
Marine Biological Laboratory:
Why Study Marine Organisms for Biomedical Research?
Nice information pages with videos.
http://www.mbl.edu/marine_org/marine_why.html
Marine pharmacology:
Information on a career in marine pharmacology (Click here for web snapshot) Page 14
http://www.amsa.asn.au/pubs/CIMS/pharmacology.html
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Aquatic Animal Health and Seafood Safety Biotechnology provides opportunities for improving the health of aquatic organism and
the safety of the food supply. More than 50 diseases affect fish and shellfish and cause
millions of dollars in losses each year. Many molecular probes and PCR-based assays
are being developed for detecting bacteria, viruses and parasites that infect fish and
shellfish. A hand-held antibody test kit has been developed to detect Vibrio cholerae, the
virus that causes cholera, in oysters. Gene probes have been developed to detect several
viral diseases of shrimp. Harmful algal blooms and/or anthropogenic toxins have the
potential to cause great harm to marine habitats. Unique biosensors are being developed
to inform scientists of increasing levels of specific biomarkers. Moreover, specific marine
bacteria have been developed that can aid in the clean-up effort if a toxic spill should
occur; thus biotechnology can help society by protecting the environment as well. Marine
biotechnologists are also interested in developing vaccines for pathogens that pose threats
to fish cultivated by aquaculture. As fish are not easily vaccinated, biotechnology is
researching innovative solutions.
Aquatic biotechnologists are also working to detect contaminated seafood by identifying
genes with encoded toxins.
Internet background:
Birch Aquarium Center at Scripps
Nice site for information on toxic red tide (Click here for web snapshot) Page 15
http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/learning/learning_res/creature_features/redtide.cfm
Local Contacts/Field Trip:
Visit a local aquarium/fish supplier, for example:
Aquarium Creations 936-273-6300
Clearwater Aquarium Service 936-756-9200
Contact the Houston Aquarium Society for speaker concerning fish health/disease
issues. Their website also has a list of all their local sponsors who might be willing to
arrange a field trip or speaker.
http://www.houstonaquariumsociety.org/
Landry’s Downtown Aquarium
The Downtown Aquarium has special events for students (“marine biologist for a day”,
etc.) and might be able to tailor a field trip to meet your specific educational objectives.
http://www.aquariumrestaurants.com/downtownaquariumhouston/flash_content/index.ht
ml
Algae cultivation
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Algae are a group of photosynthetic eukaryotes used throughout the world for various
products, including food. The world algae harvest is about 4 million tons a year. The
California kelp forests have been harvested since the early 1900s. Today, algae is used in
such food items as pastry fillings, syrups, frozen desserts, relish, dessert gels, salad
dressings, beer, fruit juice, and milkshakes. It is used in industry for paper coating,
adhesives, textile dyeing, air freshener gels, explosives, toys, ceramics, welding rods and
cleaners. It is also used in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. The demand for agars often
exceeds the harvest. Genetic manipulation of cultured algal strains might enhance growth
and be more disease resistant and cell culture techniques might increase the amounts
produced.
Algae also have the potential to provide an alternative to fossil fuel as algae can produce
large amounts of hydrocarbons derived from either fatty acid or isoprenoid biosyntheses.
In the future algae may be genetically modified to synthesize gasoline-type fuels.
Internet background:
Birch Aquarium Center at Scripps
Great, simple information on kelp and algae. Interactive website for information. (Click
here for web snapshot) Page 16
http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/learning/learning_res/voyager/kelpvoyager/kelpus9.html
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Return to text http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2001/101_fish.html#creating
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Return to text http://www.wabr.org/education/articles/2002TransgenicSalmonUnit.doc
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Return to text http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/management/hatcheries/fw_fish_lab/
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Return to text http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=661
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Return to text http://www.phschool.com/science/science_news/articles/channel_deepc_light.html
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Return to text http://www.amsa.asn.au/pubs/CIMS/pharmacology.html
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Return to text http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/learning/learning_res/creature_features/redtide.cfm
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Return to text http://aquarium.ucsd.edu/learning/learning_res/voyager/kelpvoyager/kelpus9.html