ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

conotoxins along with the posttranslational
modifications were identified from Conus achatinus
sp. Experiments were undertaken to identify the
biological activity of conus peptides and three novel
toxins were found to target voltage-gated ion
channels. The 3D-structure has been determined
using NMR resulting a cysteine knot motif.
Bioreactor
A microbial analysis of marine sediments was
undertaken to develop an anaerobic consortium for
wastewater treatment, at RRL, Thiruvananthapuram.
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of bacteria,
archaea, protozoa and micro-metazoa in anaerobic
marine sediment were done. Fluorescent labeled
16S/23S rRNA targeted synthetic nucleotides were
used for analyzing the bacteria and archaea. Protocol
for whole cell Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization
(FISH) technique was standardized. Different batch
experiments were conducted to evaluate the activity
of protozoa and micro-metazoa under anaerobic and
organic rich saline conditions. The organic and
nutrient load in shrimp processing wastewater was
quantified and a Laboratory scale UASB type
bioreactor for wastewater treatment was studied.
This is expected to lead to development of a microbial
based treatment system for seafood industrial
discharge.
Vaccine development for fish
Aeromonad septicaemia is an important disease
problem affecting warm water aquaculture. Due to
antigenic heterogeneity among motile aeromonads,
vaccine development has been a problem.
Conserved outer membrane proteins of aeromonads
were evaluated as candidates for vaccine
development. Gene coding for the outer membrane
protein ompTS was cloned, sequenced and
expressed in Escherichia coli. A new gene coding for
outer membrane protein of A. hydrophila, omp48 was
DBT Annual Report 2006-07
90
also identified, cloned, sequenced and expressed in
E. coli. The sequence has been deposited in
GenBank. Recombinant proteins were found to be
immunogenic in Labeo rohita and induced protective
immune response. On challenge, the immunized fish
showed relative percentage survival of over 60
indicating promise in development of commercial
vaccine.
Bacteriophage therapy in improvement of
Expression of recombinant ompTS protein. Lane 1- Molecular wt
marker (Pmw m); Lane 2- Non recombinant M15 E. coli cells without
IPTG; Lane 3 Non recombinant M15 E. coli cells with IPTG; Lane 4 -
Recombinant M15 E. coli without IPTG; Lane 5 Recombinant M15 E.
coli with 1 mM IPTG; Lane 6- Purified ompTS protein.
Bacteriophage shrimp larvae therapy in improvement of
shrimp larvae
Luminous bacterial disease is a leading cause of
Luminous bacterial disease is a leading cause
shrimp larval mortalities in hatcheries.
of shrimp larval mortalities in hatcheries.
Development of resistance to antibiotics by
Development of resistance to antibiotics by luminous
luminous bacterial disease is a major hurdle in
bacterial disease is a major hurdle in tackling the
problem tackling of the luminous problem bacterial of disease. luminous At College bacterial of
Fisheries, disease. At Mangalore, College several of Fisheries, lytic bacteriophages Mangalore,
against several luminous lytic bacteriophages Vibrio harveyi have against been luminous isolated
and Vibrio characterized harveyi have at been both morphological
isolated and
and characterized molecular at level. both The morphological lytic ability and of
these molecular bacteriophages level. The has been lytic tested ability against of these over
bacteriophages has been tested against over