Sequencing the genome of the deep ocean - La Vanguardia

Environment | 12/06/2013 – 18:46 h | Last Updated: 12/06/2013 – 19:23 h

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Image of microscopic unicellular protist unidentified expedicionmalaspina.es

Madrid. (EFE). – The deep ocean , especially the one to 4,000 meters, will begin to be a little less unknown by microorganism 2,000 samples collected in the Malaspina Expedition , whose sequencing has shown that up to 80% of the bacterial species in these waters are not registered.

A team of researchers, coordinated by the National Research Council (CSIC), has begun to sequence the genome of the deep ocean using samples collected in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific during Expedition Malaspina Circumnavigation 2010, coordinated by Carlos Duarte.

Wednesday in Madrid has presented the progress of some results of this collection marine microbial genomics-yet-unpublished journals, which will provide new clues about a reservoir of unexplored biodiversity as “could mean finding tens of millions of new genes in the coming years. “

So have identified two of its researchers, Carlos Duarte and José María Gasol, who have pointed out that so far the DNA or RNA sequencing had been limited almost exclusively to surface waters of the ocean.

sequencing jobs now focus on viruses, bacteria and protists that inhabit the ocean to 4,000 feet deep, where no light and the temperature is 1 or 2 degrees. Of these 2,000 samples, 1,300 were collected in deep water and the rest in the air above the ocean.

have sequenced about 5% of these samples and preliminary data Malaspinomics-and this phase is called the Malaspina expedition, show a “huge amount of unknown species” of microorganisms in the deep ocean.

Only 20% of the species of microorganism in this part of the ocean are in databases. They have also detected bacteria capable of degrading highly toxic compounds that have accumulated on the seafloor.

Specifically, as explained Duarte, bacteria have been discovered metabolic pathways capable of degrading methylmercury derived from human activity. Meanwhile, Gasol has been reported that the samples are particularly valuable because they come from areas poorly studied scientifically so far as the Indian or the South Pacific.

“Recent evidence suggests that the deep ocean contains active and diverse bacteria and archaea protists, viruses and zooplankton”, according to this researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences, who added that “it was thought that there – in the deep ocean, nothing happened, but it happens. “

Gasol

explained that in each of the samples the scientists of several countries can identify up to 400,000 genes, of which 86% are not in the existing databases. “We will deliver to international databases hundreds of millions of new genes with previously unknown metabolic capabilities and potential applications,” stressed Duarte.

The number of marine species used as a source of genes with commercial interests grows at a rate of 12% annually. In this sense, Duarte said they hope that this research will open the door for biotechnological applications in fields such as bioenergy, food and cosmetics, and see “potential in the development of a new generation of antibiotics.”

“This collection is invaluable strategic because no country has this kind of samples globally,” he stressed. Duarte has detailed when they started managing that Malaspina had no possible sequence in Spain, “but now we have the technology,” he said.

Malaspinomics The first part of members of the Ministry of Economy funding of 350,000 euros. To sequence all samples need one million euros, which researchers will be looking.

As budget cuts and if you have been affected, Duarte has said the project “is not the darling of the National Plan,” “not an island and we have problems like everyone else,” said. Noting that the ocean is touched but not out, this researcher has stated that “the time to mourn over, you have to take the rest and where we can get funding.”