Coccolithophores: Functional Biodiversity, Enzymes and Bioprospecting

Emiliania huxleyi is a single celled, marine phytoplankton with global distribution. As a key species for global biogeochemical cycling, a variety of strains have been amassed in various culture collections. Using a library consisting of 52 strains of E. huxleyi and an ‘in house‘ enzyme screening pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Michael J. Allen, Paul J. Somerfield, Jenny A. Littlechild, John Love, Johnathan Napier, Sohail T. Ali, Ian Probert, Charlotte A. Worthy, Emma L. Reid
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2011-04-01
Series:Marine Drugs
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/4/586/
Description
Summary:Emiliania huxleyi is a single celled, marine phytoplankton with global distribution. As a key species for global biogeochemical cycling, a variety of strains have been amassed in various culture collections. Using a library consisting of 52 strains of E. huxleyi and an ‘in house‘ enzyme screening program, we have assessed the functional biodiversity within this species of fundamental importance to global biogeochemical cycling, whilst at the same time determining their potential for exploitation in biocatalytic applications. Here, we describe the screening of E. huxleyi strains, as well as a coccolithovirus infected strain, for commercially relevant biocatalytic enzymes such as acid/alkali phosphodiesterase, acid/alkali phosphomonoesterase, EC1.1.1-type dehydrogenase, EC1.3.1-type dehydrogenase and carboxylesterase.
ISSN:1660-3397