metabolic pathways, reproductive systems, and sensory and defense mechanisms,
because they have adapted to extreme environments ranging from the cold polar seas to
the great pressures of the ocean floor. Most major classes of the Earth’s organisms are
primarily or exclusively marine, so the oceans represent a source of unique genetic
information. The oceans therefore offer abundant resources for research and
development. Yet the potential of this domain as the basis for new biotechnologies
remains largely unexplored. The vast majority of marine organisms have yet to be
identified.
The marine environment is a plentiful source of interesting new products for human
society. It is therefore striking that so few of these marine natural products (Table 17.1)
have reached the stage of commercial production (Pomponi, 1999). Words such as
“promising” and “potential” dominate the literature on marine natural products, while
papers describing successful application of these products remain scarce. The gap from
“promising” to products and processes of interest to industry and society needs to be
closed. Research on marine biotechnology, the practical use of marine organisms it under
controlled conditions, is therefore an important new development in this respect (Cowan
1997; Zaborsky 1995).
SPONGES
There is an increasing interest in biotechnological production of marine-sponge biomass,
due to the discovery of many commercially important secondary metabolites in this group
Table 17.1 Some examples of marine bioproducts
commercially available (From: Pomponi, 1999).
Product Application Source
Ara-A antiviral drug microbial culture (original source:
marine sponge)
Ara-C anticancer drug chemical synthesis (original
source: marine sponge)
okadaic acid molecular probe: phosphatase
inhibitor
dinoflagellate
manoalide molecular probe: phospholipase A2
inhibitor
marine sponge
Vent DNA polymerase polymerase chain reactions deep sea hydrothermal vent
bacterium
Formulaid® nutritional supplement additive: fatty acid produced by
marine microalga
Aequorin bioluminescent calcium indicator bioluminescent jellyfish, Aequora
victoria
Green Fluorescent
Protein (GFP)
reporter gene bioluminescent jellyfish, Aequora
victoria
Marine sponges as biocatalysts 507