Algae as a source of useful materials Flashcards
Martek Biosciences Corporation
Founded in 1985 as a spin-off from Martin Marietta Laboratories
• Focus has been on algae and algal technologies
• Headquartered in Columbia, MD with a fermentation plant in Winchester, KY and Kingstree, SC with offices in CO and PA
• IPO in November 1993
• Acquired OmegaTech in 2002
• Acquired FermPro in 2003
• About 700 people in 2010
• FY10 revenues of >$450 MM
• Acquired by DSM in 2011 for $1.1 B
Microalgae are Diverse
- habitat
- morphology
- cellular organization
- nutritional mode
- biochemistry
The diversity of microalgae presents problems, but it also represents a vast resource of potentially valuable compounds.
Utilize the Special Features of Microalgae
• What do microalgae produce? • What can it be used for? • What products are needed? • Can microalgae fill the need? Large algal culture collection (world’s largest?)
Martek’s Approach to Microalgal Products
• Capitalize on what algae do well, and apply it wherever it is appropriate. • Avoid competing directly with other microorganisms. • Culture algae under highly controllable conditions. • Target products of sufficient value to justify the cost of R&D
Unique Features of Microalgae
• transform inorganic elements into organic compounds via photosynthesis • produce unusual compounds: pigments fatty acids bioactive compounds
Applications of Microalgae
• Stable Isotopically Labeled Biochemical:
13C, 15N, 2H - labeled
compounds
deuterated lubricants
• Medical Diagnostics
13C - breath tests
• Nutritional Products
fatty acids for human and
animal use
• Pigments
• Pharmaceuticals
• Aquaculture feeds
• BiofuelsMicroalgae as a Source of Stable Isotopically Labeled Compounds
Utilize the photosynthetic nature of microalgae to convert inorganic forms of stable isotopes into organic forms.
13CO2, 15NO3-, 2H2O —-photosynthesis—> labeled organic compounds
Requirements
• identify a good producer of the desired compound
• attain efficient isotope incorporation into desired compound (isotopes are expensive)
• utilize a highly controlled, closed culturing system
Microalgae: • Easily handled • Easily cultured • Unicellular • Metabolically flexible • Can be grown in closed systems
Closed Growth System
Photobioreactor
Inputs: – CO2 – Light – H2 Outputs: – H2O – Biomass
- CO2 and light used to make biomass
- H2O produces O2, and H2 used to convert O2 back to H2O
- Control O2 and CO2 levels to minimize photorespiration
Application of Microalgae to Medical Diagnostics: Breath Tests
- The physiological state of a particular organ
can be inferred from the metabolism of a
substrate to CO2 by that organ. - The ideal goal is to diagnose morbidity earlier than other tests or to diagnose a previously undiagnosable disease.
Breath Test Process
Microalgae –> breathe in 13C substrate –> breathe out 13CO2 –> measure the levels
Breath Test Requirements
•Identify a substrate that is metabolized
by only a single organ.
• Identify an algal source of that substrate.
• Differentiate between CO2 produced from
that substrate and CO2 produced from other
substrates by using 13C.
• Quantitate the 13CO2 produced from the
substrate by that organ.
Breath Test Advantages
• Measures metabolic activity of the target organ • Minimally invasive • Can be repeated frequently • Rapid
13C-Galactose Breath Test for
Liver Function
• Identify a good galactose producer
• Optimize growth and galactose production
• Purify the galactose by hydrolysis,
chromatography and crystallization
• Overall: convert 13CO2 into 13C-galactose
Hypothesis: 13C-Galactose Breath Test
The magnitude and/or kinetics of
the appearance of 13CO2
in the breath correlates with the degree
of liver function/dysfunction.
Clinical Protocol
• Overnight fast
Collect initial breath sample.
• Ingest 13C-galactose (100 mgs) and sufficient unlabeled galactose to saturate liver metabolism.
• Collect breath samples periodically for 3-4 hours.
• Analyze 13CO2 content of samples by MS.
