Polyhydroxyalkanoates from Marine Microorganisms for Biomedical and Aquaculture Applications

Summary

Over 2500 bacterial isolates have been obtained from various marine samples and were screened for Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production. Isolates with >50% PHA production were further screened based on % PHA productivity. 27 isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and were subsequently deposited in GenBank. Four potent isolates Vibrio harveyi MCCB284, Bacillus cereus MCCB281, Labrenzia aggregata MCCB274, Vibrio alginolyticus MCCB290 from different locations were studied for PHA production, optimization and characterization studies. Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) homopolymer as well as polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate (PHBV) copolymer production was optimized and the polymers were purified and characterized. Optimization of copolymer production from Bacillus cereus was carried out using Response Surface Methodology with Design Expert software. Ability of 4 bacterial isolates Vibrio harveyi MCCB284, Bacillus cereus MCCB281 to produce PHA using glycerol as carbon source can be exploited for the sustainable commercial production of PHA. Nanoparticle synthesis using PHB and PHBV has been optimized and Nile Red was used as sample drug. PHBV film synthesis and characterization have been carried out for use in biomedical applications. Man Power- Two Ph.D. Scholars have been associated with the project.

Funding Agency

MoES-CMLRE

File No: MoES/CMLRE 10-MLR-TD/09/2012 dated 09/10/2012

Period: 2012-2017

Project Cost: 87 Lakhs

Investigators

Prof. I. S. Bright Singh
Principal Investigator
Prof. Rosamma Philip
Co-Investigator

Project staff

Linu Balan, Senior Research Fellow

Sowmya P Mohandas, Senior Research Fellow

Publications

Ph.D. Thesis

  • Sowmya P Mohandas 2020 Development of nanoparticles and films of polyhydroxyalkanoates from marine bacteria

Journal Articles

  • Mohandas, S.P., Balan, L., Gopi, J., Anoop, B.S., Mohan P, S., Philip, R., Cubelio, S.S., Singh, I.S.B., 2021. Biocompatibility of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate films generated from Bacillus cereus MCCB 281 for medical applications. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 176, 244–252. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.02.006 
  • Mohandas, S.P., Balan, L., Jayanath, G., Anoop, B.S., Philip, R., Cubelio, S.S., Bright Singh, I.S., 2018. Biosynthesis and characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoate from marine Bacillus cereus MCCB 281 utilizing glycerol as carbon source. Int. J. Biol. Macromol. 119, 380–392. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.07.044 
  • Mohandas, S.P., Balan, L., Lekshmi, N., Cubelio, S.S., Philip, R., Bright Singh, I.S., 2017. Production and characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate from Vibrio harveyi MCCB 284 utilizing glycerol as carbon source. J. Appl. Microbiol. 122, 698–707. doi: 10.1111/jam.13359 

Conference Presentations

  • Balan, L., Mohandas, S.P., Priyaja, P., Philip, R., Bright Singh, I.S., 2020. Polyhydroxyalkanoate Producing Bacteria from North Eastern Arabian Sea (NEAS), in: Joshi, K.K., Varghese, M., Kaladharan, P., Sreenath, K.R., S., L., Sanil, N.K., Hatha, A.A.M., Shinoj, P., Padua, S., Gills, R., Jayakumar, C. V. (Eds.), Marine Ecosystem Challenges & Opportunities (MECOS 3). Marine Biological Association of India, Kochi, Kerala, India, p. 421.
    • MECOS3 committee recommended to the Govt of India to take up further work on PHB bioplastic producing bacteria along North Eastern Arabian Sea (NEAS) Recommendation 5.5: http://mbai.org.in/mecos3/MTAx/MTAx
  • Mohandas, S.P., Balan, L., Bhaskaran, A., Philip, R., Bright Singh, I.S., 2016. Production and characterization of PHA from Bacillus cereus MCCB 281 and its biomedical application-A preliminary study, in: 4th International Conference on Nanomedicine and Tissue Engineering (ICNT2016).
  • Mohandas, S.P., Balan, L., Lekshmi, N., Cubelio, S.S., Philip, R., Bright Singh, I.S., 2015. Production and characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate from bioluminescent Vibrio harveyi MCCB284 isolated from Phallusia nigra, in: International Conference on New Horizons in Biotechnology (NHBT-2015). Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India, p. 164.
  • Balan, L., Mohandas, S.P., Philip, R., Bright Singh, I.S., 2014. Screening and Isolation of Polyhydroxyalkanoate Producing Bacteria from Goa Coast, in: MECOS2 Marine Ecosystems Challenges and Oppurtunities- International Symposium. Marine Biological Association of India, Kochi, pp. 274–275.