3 research outputs found
Amylase production from marine sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis; potentials sustainability benefits
The marine sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis is a globally distributed and invasive species with extensive filter-feeding characteristics. The symbiotic relationship fostered between the sea sponge and the inhabiting microorganism is key in the production of metabolic enzymes which is the focus of this study. Sponge bacterial symbionts were grown on starch agar for 48hrs. Colourimetric analyses of amylase were conducted at 540nm using a spectrophotometric plate reader. Using an X-Bridge column (3.5μM, 4.6x150mm), 80/20 acetonitrile/water in 0.1% ammonium were the conditions used for the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses. Seven reducing sugars were used to optimise LC-MS to determine the presence of the crude enzyme formed. Not all the bacterial symbionts isolated from H perlevis produced alpha and beta amylases to break down starch. From the statistical mean of crude enzyme concentrations from the hydrolysis of starch by amylase, isolate seven had the highest optical density (OD) at 0.43475 while isolate twelve had the lowest OD at 0.141417. From the LC-MS analysis, out of the seven sugars, Glucose and maltose constituted > 65% of the reducing sugars formed from the hydrolysis of starch by the amylases. Isolates 3,6 and 7 produced 6.906 mg/l, 12.309 mg/l, and 5.909 mg/l of glucose, while isolates 3,4,5,6 and 7 produced 203.391 mg/l, 176.238 mg/l, 139.938 mg/l, 39.030 mg/l, and 18.809 mg/l of maltose, respectively. Isolate two had the highest amount of maltose at a concentration of 267.237 mg/l while isolate four had the highest amount of glucose concentration of 53.084 mg/l. Enzymes from marine sponge bacteria offer greater potential for a green and sustainable production process. Amylase extraction from bacterial symbionts in H perlevis is sustainable and should be supported. They can serve as reliable sources of revenue for enzyme industries, and applications in food industries and biotechnological processes
Bioaccumulation and genotoxic effect of heavy metal pollution in marine sponges from the Niger Delta
In this study, levels of Al, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr and Pb were quantified in seawater, sediments, and sea sponges from six sites in the Niger Delta and one relatively clean site outside the Niger Delta area using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The metal levels in sponge tissues in μg/mg ranged from 0.22 ± 0.03–0.70 ± 0.10 (Al), 0.002 ± 2.2 × 10–5 - 0.004 ± 5.6 × 10−5 (As), 2 × 10−5 ± 5.3 × 10−6 -1.5 × 10−3 ± 4.6 × 10−6 (Cd), 2.3 × 10–3 ± 1.4 × 10–5 -0.02 ± 2,2 × 10−4 (Cu), 2.5 × 10−4 ± 8.6 × 10−6- 2.0 × 10−3 ± 1.4 × 10−5 (Pb). In Sediment samples in mg/kg, the ranges were (0.883 ± 0.114–73.33 ± 0.10 (Al), 0.0007 ± 0.026–0.304 ± 0.009 (As),0.0086 ± 0.0045–0.198 ± 0.010 (Cr); 0.005 ± 0.001–0.063 ± 0.001 (Cu), 0.039 ± 0.004–0.0783 ± 0.0024(Ni), 0.0017 ± 0.002–0.056 ± 0.0046 (Pb). In the water sample, the metal levels in mg/L 0.06–0.92 (Al), 0.001–0.007 (Cd), 0.001–0.001 (Cr), 0.01–0.02 (Cu), 0.003–0.01 (Ni), 0.001–0.01(Pb). Metal levels in all sampling sites occurred in the order of decreasing concentration as Al > Cu > Ni > Cd > Cr > Pb (in seawater), Al > Cr > Ni > Pb > Cu > Cd (in sediment) and Al > As>Cu > Pb > Cd (in the sponge). The study further assessed DNA strand breaks in sea sponges as a biomarker of genotoxicity using the comet assay. There was a strong correlation between % DNA strand breaks in sponge cells from all sample locations and aluminium levels in sponge tissues from all sample locations. The highest metal levels were recorded in Sea sponges, followed by Sediment and then Sea water, with aluminium significantly higher than other metals in all three matrices studied. We, therefore, conclude that sea sponges are excellent sentinel species for toxic metal bioaccumulation, and DNA strand breaks are an efficient biomarker
Sponge–Microbial Symbiosis and Marine Extremozymes: Current Issues and Prospects
Marine microorganisms have great potential for producing extremozymes. They enter useful relationships like many other organisms in the marine habitat. Sponge–microbial symbiosis enables both sponges and microorganisms to mutually benefit each other while performing their activities within the ecosystem. Sponges, because of their nature as marine cosmopolitan benthic epifaunas and filter feeders, serve as a host for many extremophilic marine microorganisms. Potential extremozymes from microbial symbionts are largely dependent on their successful relationship. Extremozymes have found relevance in food processing, bioremediation, detergent, and drug production. Species diversity approach, industrial-scale bioremediation, integrative bioremediation software, government and industrial support are considered. The high cost of sampling, limited research outcomes, low species growth in synthetic media, laborious nature of metagenomics projects, difficulty in the development of synthetic medium, limited number of available experts, and technological knowhow are current challenges. The unique properties of marine extremozymes underpin their application in industry and biotechnological processes. There is therefore an urgent need for the development of cost-effective methods with government and industry support