SeaScreen: expanding a bioprocess repertoire by smart marine microbe screening.
Lead Research Organisation:
Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Department Name: Plymouth Marine Lab
Abstract
The world's oceans contain many different types of cells and viruses which have developed the means necessary to survive under conditions which are very different from those found on land. As a result these cells and viruses contain many proteins and chemicals which are not found in land-based plants, animals, and bacteria. Scientists at Plymouth Marine Laboratory have become experts at finding and growing both bacteria and viruses from the sea. Working with U.K.-based companies Ingenza and Aquapharm Biosciences we plan to use these skills to look for bacteria and viruses which produce particular enzymes which could be used to make new chemicals and medicines which are not normally found in nature. The enzymes could also be used to make existing chemicals in new ways which would be more efficient and less polluting to the environment.
Organisations
- Plymouth Marine Laboratory (Lead Research Organisation)
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (Co-funder)
- Ingenza Ltd (Collaboration)
- Heriot-Watt University (Collaboration)
- Aquapharm Biodiscovery (Collaboration)
- Ingenza (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Lallemand (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
| Description | A screening protocol was provided by the industrial collaborator and marine bacteria screened for amino acid oxidase activity. This enzyme can be used to make chemically pure amino acids which display only one defined structure and is of value to the pharmaceutical industry. We discovered that these enzymes are very common in the marine environment. |
| Exploitation Route | We have used the basis of the original project to do much wider screening of marine bacteria for a range of industrially-relevant activities. |
| Sectors | Chemicals,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Description | A NERC Follow-on fund grant was successfully secured to screen for further biocatalysts and a number of new colorimetric screens developed. A BBSRC PhD studentship with Dr Gideon Grogan (University of York) was also secured based on this follow-on work. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2007 |
| Sector | Chemicals,Healthcare,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | Aquapharm Bio - Discovery Ltd |
| Organisation | Aquapharm Biodiscovery |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Heriot-Watt University |
| Organisation | Heriot-Watt University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Ingenza Ltd |
| Organisation | Ingenza Ltd |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| Start Year | 2007 |
| Description | Aqaba International Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | A mixed audience of undergraduate, postgraduate and professional scientists from the Middle-East attended a marine sciences conference where I presented a keynote address on marine biotechnology and its applications for commercial science. Potential development of new collaborations with Scientists in Jordan and Tunisia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| URL | http://www.mesp.org/mesp_news/aqaba-international-conference-2014 |
| Description | Marine Biodiscovery: Enzymes and Molecules for Industry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to senior scientific staff at DSM facility in Delft, Netherlands on 27/10/10. Presenation to selected scientists on potential of marine enzymes for industrial biotechnology This was an opportunity to present work directly to industry representatives and to discuss potential future collaborations in the field of biocatalysis. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Marine Biodiscovery: Enzymes and molecules for pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | keynote/invited speaker |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at 11th International Symposium on the Genetics of Industrial Microorganisms, 28 June - 1 July 2010, Melbourne, Australia. Collaboration with Prof Claude Muller (Institute of Immunology, Luxembourg) to screen for anti-viral activity in extracts against influenza virus. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Marine Biodiscovery: Enzymes and molecules for pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | paper presentation |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Speaker at International Marine biotechnology Conference in Qingdao, P.R. China. Sharing of enzyme screening techniques with Dr Alan Dobson (Environmental Research Institute, Cork, Ireland). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2010 |
| Description | Marine enzymes: a novel source of biocatalysts for industry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | keynote/invited speaker |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker to Society of general Microbiology (Irish Section) meeting: Marine Microbiology and Biotechnology 2012. November 14-16th, 2012, Cork, Ireland. Presenation on biocatalysis research at Plymouth Marine laboratory including results of Seascreen project. Invited speaker for SGM/FEBS sponsored meeting on marine microbiology and biotechnology Exchange of ideas and potential for future collaboration |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Marine enzymes: a novel source of biocatalysts for industry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Scientific meeting (conference/symposium etc.) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | keynote/invited speaker |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other academic audiences (collaborators, peers etc.) |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at The Last Frontier of Life: Extremophiles (Expedition, Ecology, Adaptation Mechanism, and Bioenergy Production), an international meeting held at Shineville Resort, Jeju, Korea and organised by KIOST. A meeting organised by KIOST (Korea Institute for Ocean Science and Technology) to present research of extremophiles from the marine environment and to explore the potential for future collaborations. Opportunity to participate in the launch of a new Korean marine biotechnology strategy initiated by KIOST. Opportunity to interact with young researchers interested in developing joint proposals in this area. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2013 |