BIOACT · The role of associated bacteria in the production of bioactive compounds of marine origin

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Project objective

Within this application Dr Mia Dahlstrom wishes to pursue her research and add to her research career in marine chemical ecology and marine biofouling by transferring for 12 months to the Newcastle University. There she will be trained under the guidance of Prof Grant Burgess at the School of Marine Sciences and Technology in cutting-edge research issues concerning marine microbiology and molecular biology.The specific aim of this application is to explore recent findings that bioactive marine natural products isolated from marine invertebrates are produced by bacteria that live associated to the invertebrate host. We will concentrate on compounds isolated from the coldwater marine sponge Geodia barretti with strong antifouling activity. The chemical nature of the compounds implies a possible bacterial origin.We will examine this by cultivating sponge-associated bacteria and by mapping the phylogenetic relationship of the bacterial community found on the sponge host. This will be achieved by using state-of-the-art techniques in DNA sequencing and amplification and tools for analysing and identifying marine natural products. These facilities are present at Prof Burgess lab where they are world-leading in the characterisation of new species of bacteria, and al so in the chemical characterisation of new antimicrobial compounds.By coming to Newcastle, the researcher will significantly enhance her expertise in the field of marine natural products of microbial origin, while she in turn will contribute with substantial knowledge and skills in marine invertebrate chemical signalling. There is a need for European scientists to develop new approaches to control marine biofouling. Inhibition of marine fouling through biodegradable natural products of marine origin is highly promising.The work proposed will be a scientifically highly productive collaboration that has the capacity to contribute greatly to important biotechnological breakthroughs in antifouling research.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITY OF NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE · NEWCASTLE UPON TYNECoordinatorUnited Kingdom

Links

• View on CORDIS