Marine biotechnology

Enzymes which are isolated from cold environments are characterised by high catalytic efficiency at low temperatures and easy inactivation at medium high temperatures compared to homologs from ambient temperature and high temperatures environments. This makes the enzymes commercial interesting with regards to industrial processes and molecular reactions which takes place at low temperatures, and has a potential for energy economization of industrial processes and use as biomolecular tools (e.g. sequencing and biomarker assays).

We have performed structure/function analysis of several enzymes from organisms living in cold marine environments (e.g. UNG from Atlantic cod and MutT from Aliivibrio salmonicida) in order to increase our understanding about molecular adaptation to the cold. UNG from Atlantic cod is currently provided by ArcticZymes in Tromsø for use in biomolecular applications.

Currently I am coordinating the ITQBs activities in an ERA-net funded project entitled “Discovery and training of microbial biocatalysts for biomass conversion using moving bed technology (MBT)” which is coordinated by the chemistry department at UiT – the arctic university of Norway. 

Examples of products and services developed by technological applications using marine bioresources (from Background Paper, OECD Global Forum on Biotechnology, Vancouver, 30-31 May 2012).