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

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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

Aquatic Biotech Page 13

Return to text http://www.phschool.com/science/science_news/articles/channel_deepc_light.html

Aquatic Biotech Page 14

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