Echinodermata (Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology) (Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology Marine Molecular Biotechnology)

296 Pages·2005·5.22 MB·English

by  Valeria Matranga (Ed.)

Marine Molecular Biotechnology
Subseries ofProgress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology
Series Editor:Werner E.G.Müller
39
Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology
Series Editors:W.E.G.Müller (Managing Editor),
Ph.Jeanteur,Y. Kuchino,A.Macieira-Coelho,R.E.Rhoads
Volumes published in the Series
Progress in Molecular Subseries
and Subcellular Biology Marine Molecular Biotechnology
Volume 25 Volume 37
Signaling Through the Cell Matrix Sponges (Porifera)
A.Macieira-Coelho (Ed.) W.E.G.Müller (Ed.)
Volume 26
Volume 39
Signaling Pathways for Translation:
Echinodermata
Insulin and Nutrients
V.Matranga (Ed.)
R.E.Rhoads (Ed.)
Volume 27
Signaling Pathways for Translation:
Stress,Calcium,and Rapamycin
R.E.Rhoads (Ed.)
Volume 28
Small Stress Proteins
A.-P.Arrigo and W.E.G.Müller (Eds.)
Volume 29
Protein Degradation in Health and Disease
M.Reboud-Ravaux (Ed.)
Volume 30
Biology ofAging
A.Macieira-Coelho
Volume 31
Regulation ofAlternative Splicing
Ph.Jeanteur (Ed.)
Volume 32
Guidance Cues in the Developing Brain
I.Kostovic (Ed.)
Volume 33
Silicon Biomineralization
W.E.G.Müller (Ed.)
Volume 34
Invertebrate Cytokines and the Phylogeny
ofImmunity
A.Beschin and W.E.G.Müller (Eds.)
Volume 35
RNA Trafficking and Nuclear Structure Dynamics
Ph.Jeanteur (Ed.)
Volume 36
Viruses and Apoptosis
C.Alonso (Ed.)
Volume 38
Epigenetics and Chromatin
Ph.Jeanteur (Ed.)
Valeria Matranga (Ed.)
Echinodermata
With 75 Figures,11 in Color
1 23
Dr.Valeria Matranga
Istituto die Biomedicina e
Immunologia Molecolare „Alberto Monroy“
Via U.La Malfa 153
90146 Palermo
Italy
ISSN 1611-6119
ISBN 3-540-24402-6 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York
Library ofCongress Control Number:2004117278
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Preface to the Series
Recent developments in the applied field of natural products are impressive,
and the speed of progress appears to be almost self-accelerating.The results
emerging make it obvious that nature provides chemicals,secondary metabo-
lites, of astonishing complexity. It is generally accepted that these natural
products offer new potential for human therapy and biopolymer science.The
major disciplines which have contributed, and increasingly contribute, to
progress in the successful exploitation ofthis natural richness include molec-
ular biology and cell biology,flanked by chemistry.The organisms ofchoice,
useful for such exploitation,live in the marine environment.They have the
longest evolutionary history during which they could develop strategies to
fight successfully against invading organisms and to form large multicellular
plants and animals in aqueous medium.The first multicellular organisms,the
plants, appeared already 1000 million years ago (MYA), then the fungi
emerged and,finally,animals developed (800MYA).
Focusing on marine animals,the evolutionary oldest phyla,the Porifera,
the Cnidaria and the Bryozoa,as sessile filter feeders,are exposed not only to
a huge variety of commensal, but also toxic microorganisms, bacteria and
fungi.In order to overcome these threats,they developed a panel of defense
systems,for example,their immune system,which is closely related to those
existing in higher metazoans,the Protostomia and Deuterostomia.In addi-
tion,due to this characteristic,they became outstandingly successful during
evolution:they developed a chemical defense system which enabled them to
fight in a specific manner against invaders.These chemicals are oflow mole-
cular weight and ofnon-proteinaceous nature.Due to the chemical complex-
ity and the presence ofasymmetrical atom centers in these compounds,a high
diversity of compounds became theoretically possible.In a natural selective
process,during evolution,only those compounds could survive which caused
the most potent bioactivity and provided the most powerful protection for
the host in which they were synthesized.This means that during evolution
nature continuously modified the basic structures and their derivatives for
optimal function.In principle,the approach used in combinatorial chemistry
is the same,but turned out to be painful and only in few cases successful.In
consequence,it is advisable to copy and exploit nature for these strategies to
select for bioactive drugs.Besides the mentioned metazoan phyla,other ani-
VI Preface to the Series
mal phyla,such as the higher evolved animals,the mollusks or tunicates,or
certain algal groups, also produce compounds for their chemical defense
which are ofinterest scientifically and for potential application.
There is,however,one drawback.Usually,the amount of starting material
used as a source for the extraction of most bioactive compounds found in
marine organisms is minute and,hence,not sufficient for their further appli-
cation in biomedicine.Furthermore,the constraints ofthe conventions for the
protection of nature limit the commercial exploitation of novel compounds,
since only a small number of organisms can be collected from the biotope.
Consequently,exploitation must be sustainable,i.e.,it should not endanger
the equilibrium ofthe biota in a given ecosystem.However,the protection of
biodiversity in nature,in general,and those organisms living in the marine
environment,in particular,holds an inherent opportunity if this activity is
based on genetic approaches.From the research on molecular biodiversity,
benefits for human society emerge which are of obvious commercial value;
the transfer ofbasic scientific achievements to applicable products is the task
and the subject ofMarine Molecular Biotechnology.This discipline uses mod-
ern molecular and cell biological techniques for the sustainable production of
bioactive compounds and for the improvement offermentation technologies
in bioreactors.
Hence,marine molecular biotechnology is the discipline which strives to
define and solve the problems regarding the sustainable exploitation of
nature for human health and welfare,through the cooperation between scien-
tists working in marine biology/molecular biology/microbiology and chem-
istry.Such collaboration is now going on successfully in several laboratories.
It is the aim ofthis new subset ofthematically connected volumes within our
series “Progress in Molecular and Subcellular Biology”to provide an actual
forum for the exchange ofideas and expertise between colleagues working in
this exciting field of“Marine Molecular Biotechnology”.It also aims to dis-
seminate the results to those researchers who are interested in the recent
achievements in this area or are just curious to learn how science can help to
exploit nature in a sustainable manner for human prosperity.
Werner E.G.Müller
Preface
When,nearly 20years ago,I was participating in the organization ofa work-
shop held in Palermo entitled “Regulation of Transcription in Sea Urchin
Embryos”(see Fig.1),under the expert direction of Prof.G.Giudice,at the
time Director of both the University and CNR Institutes for Developmental
Biology,I was not aware of the extent to which echinoderms (sea urchins)
contribute to the advancement of science. It was spring 1986 and, among
other well-known and those who would one day be well-known in the field,
Tim Hunt (R.Timothy Hunt) presented his lecture on the “Role of maternal
mRNA in the regulation of cell division in early cell cycles of the sea urchin
embryos”. I am sure that at the moment most, if not all, of the audience
found the way in which a messenger RNA could promote the synthesis of a
protein which was going up and down during cell cycles very bizarre.Many
years later,his efforts,together with those of Paul M.Nurse and Leland H.
Hartwell,were appreciated worldwide.They were awarded the Nobel Prize in
Physiology and Medicine 2001 for “their discoveries of key regulators of the
cell cycle”.In fact,their work led to the discovery of cyclins,proteins wide-
spread in the animal kingdom,that oscillate throughout the cell cycle,bind-
ing and activating cyclin-dependent kinases.Needless to say that nowadays
everybody knows what cyclins are and how studies on their regulation are
inspiring new therapies against human cancer. However, very few people
remember that this all stemmed from a lesson from the sea urchin,just one
example of how precious simple marine organisms can be in teaching scien-
tists how to improve human health.
With this in mind,it was with great pleasure that I accepted the kind invi-
tation of Prof.Müller to assemble a book that,by examining the recent pro-
ductive research in support of marine biotechnology,would encourage fur-
ther studies on the sustainable exploitation ofbiologically active compounds
from echinoderms.Echinodermata,a phylum that appeared back in the Pre-
cambrian age,accounting for more than 7,000 living species,belongs to the
branch ofthe animal kingdom known as the deuterostomes,a group that also
includes man.Since they are phylogenetically more related to chordates than
to other invertebrate groups, it is not surprising that echinoderms possess
regulatory mechanisms rather similar to those of vertebrates.This explains
VIII Preface
the flourishing interest of scientists in the fields of developmental biology,
molecular genomics and molecular evolution.
However,as many ofthe contributors to this book have pointed out,despite
the incredible amount of research accomplished during the past centuries
using echinoderms as a model organism in the fields of zoology, ecology,
embryology,cell biology,molecular biology,etc.,modest efforts ofthe echin-
oderm scientific community have been directed towards studies on the devel-
opment of the sustainable production of bioactive compounds from echino-
derms and their application in biomedicine.
This book illustrates the progress made in the exploitation ofnatural prod-
ucts from marine invertebrates (echinoderms) at a specialized high level.
Studies describe: (1) the discovery of new potential therapeutic tools for
human health;(2) the introduction ofnew biomolecular and biocellular sen-
sors for the detection of environmental contamination;(3) the development
ofnew composite materials for biomedical applications;and (4) the improve-
ments and limitations of aquacultural techniques and farming. Past and
recent findings are reported in the format of reviews on general topics or
detailed explanations where the description of a recently defined method is
needed.
Environmental and health issues are addressed by the 2004–2010 Action
Plan of the European Community which focuses on: (1) an integrated envi-
ronmental and health monitoring system;(2) the standardization ofmethods
of analysis; and (3) common sampling and sample preparation procedures.
Taking these points into consideration,I decided to invite only European sci-
entists,with only one exception,to contribute their work and thoughts,most
of them being involved in EU R&D projects which encourage and support
multidisciplinary research with the aim ofensuring the rapid transfer oftech-
nology.
For all the above-mentioned reasons, I am particularly grateful to the
Marine Molecular BiotechnologySeries Editor,Prof.Werner Müller,who gave
me the opportunity to select those studies which I think will be able to pro-
mote discussion in this rapidly growing field and open new routes for
research on innovative bioactive compounds to be used in environmental and
medical research.
Many thanks are extended to all the contributors to this book;I am confi-
dent that the high scientific value of their reviews on past and current find-
ings will serve as a forum of ideas for the exploitation of echinoderm as a
bioresource and will promote the development ofstudies in the new exciting
field ofmarine molecular biotechnology.
I am also very grateful to the invaluable and friendly collaboration and
assistance ofall the actual members ofthe group (see Fig.2) whose daily hard
work and professional skills were part ofthe success ofthis enterprise.Special
warm thanks go to my colleagues Francesca Zito and Rosa Bonaventura for
their continuous and generous collaboration, support and assistance
throughout all the difficulties related to the editorial work.
Preface IX
Fig.1. Original sketch ofa sea urchin,
engaged in “transcribing”,drawn by G.
Giudice and used for the cover ofthe
scientific program ofthe workshop on
“Regulation ofTranscription in Sea
Urchin Embryos”,held in Palermo in
1986
Finally,I express my gratitude to my husband Benedetto and my daughter
Laura for their continuous intellectual and practical support.In spite of the
time it took me away from them,their intelligent and open-minded attitude
was invaluable in this scientific endeavour.
In closing,I would like to recall the words ofProf.Monroy,who used to say:
“Science is one ofthe best ways for mutual understanding.Its language is uni-
versal and pays no attention to national barriers.This is to say that science is
one ofthe best approaches to peace”.
Valeria Matranga