Bioprospecting and biotechnology of marine microorganisms
Objectives:
Collection of the samples from different marine ecological niches using thirty selected media Enrichment and isolation of pure cultures using different growth media Preparation and preservation of ~1000 pure cultures /month from marine ecosystem Sending these cultures for screening for biomolecules having anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammation and anti-infective activity at Nicolas Piramal Research Laboratory in Mumbai Preparation of genomic DNA from collected sediment/marine samples Preparation of metagenomic library from selected samples and screening of metagenomic clones for biomolecules having anti-cancer, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammation and anti-infective activity
General description:
Project Summary
Project envisages mega scale screening programme for various environmental isolates. Different academic institutes will isolate organisms specific to diverse ecological niches. For each sample, isolation of bacteria will be carried out on 30 different growth media. This multi institutional effort will generate approximately 7000 isolates/ month (~1000/institute), which will be regularly sent to Nicholas Piramal, the industrial partner of the project for screening for various assays/activities. The screening will be carried out by developing extracts using three different media that are optimized for screening, at Nicholas Piramal. In parallel, the individual PI shall be free to explore any potential activities without comprising the supply of isolates for screening. In addition to culture dependent method, the culture independent approach will be also taken for a few selected samples. Metagenomic libraries, representing the culture-independent genomic information, will be prepared and subjected to same screening strategy. The project will lead to selection of potential candidate molecules, which will be taken to process scale up strategies with appropriate partners. The credit sharing in this project amongst the PI and industry will be as per the DBT guidelines.
Background: In last couple of decades the curiosities in discovering new molecules using untapped resources has gathered momentum. With the advent of structured molecular tools supported by automation the approach to this exploration has significantly changed in recent times. Modern bio-prospecting requires the creation of appropriate frameworks and the co-operation and involvement of governments, intermediary institutions, private firms, the academic world, and local communities and organizations. Today, modern biodiversity prospecting (or bio-prospecting), integrates the systematic search for, and development of, new sources of chemical compounds, genes, micro- and macro-organisms and other economically valuable natural products.
The genesis of this project is the consistent efforts from DBT that brought interactions between academia and industry. This project provides a common platform where the laboratory scale expertise developed through various national level programs in microbial diversity will be extended to microbial prospecting. The notion is that it is perhaps “easy” to discover an antimicrobial but it’s hard to get some one to develop it. Efforts were thus made to make industry a partner to this programme. The experience and infrastructure for screening for novel molecules from industry will fill the limiting gap in the area of prospecting.
Definition of the problem Bio-prospecting may be defined as the search for new or better bio-products or technological processes from biological sources. In particular, bio-prospecting relies on provision of a bio-resource, a supply of novel biodiversity. Molecules derived from natural products particularly those produced by plants and microorganisms have an excellent record of providing novel chemical structures for development as new pharmaceuticals, bioactives, biocatalysts and biomaterials. The screening for bioactive demands a high through put support. With the availability of screening support from industrial partner, the limiting factor is the isolation of independent microbes in keeping the regular supply for screening exercise. Since, the target is not the microbes but the bioactive molecule (s), the project will be employing the physiological variations or growth on different media as a criterion for selecting the isolates. This will ensure that even the same isolate, if challenged with different stresses could make new molecule that could be targeted for screening.
The screening for marine microbial natural products continues to represent an important route to the discovery of novel bioactive and therapeutic chemicals. Of increasing interest in this venture is the exploration of new microbial taxa from different marine ecological niches. As a part of the national mission mode effort, and agreements therein, we at the NIO will isolate, purify and send the cultures for detecting new pharmaceuticals, bioactives, biocatalysts and biomaterials
Anticipated Products & Processes The results emanating from the project will be reviewed for patentability, published in international/national peer-reviewed journals, and presented in international/national symposia. It is expected that at least 3-5 quality leads will be identified for taking it through clinical trials in collaboration with industry in commercializing the compounds.
Scientific components and achievements:
