Acronym MACUMBA
Category
Marine Biotechnology
Title Marine Microorganisms: Cultivation Methods for Improving their Biotechnological Applications Programme FP7
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
FP7 - Collaborative Project targeted to a Special Group (such as SMEs)
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
KBBE – Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology
Specific Programme (FP7)
Cooperation
Funding source European Coordinator Lucas Stal Coordinator email lucas.stal@nioz.nl
Coordinator institution
NIOZ - Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (Netherlands)
Institutions involved
UNI FREIBURG - Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (Germany) ,
NA - Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd (United Kingdom) ,
AquaTT - AquaTT UETP Ltd (Ireland) ,
NA - Bioalvo - Services, Research and Development In Biotechnology SA (Portugal) ,
NA - Cyano Biotech GmbH (Germany) ,
eCOAST - eCOAST Marine Research (Belgium) ,
NA - Fermentalg (France) ,
NA - GCE Blue Maritime Cluster (Norway) ,
HWU - Heriot-Watt University (United Kingdom) ,
DSMZ - Leibniz Institut DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganims and Cell Cultures GmbH (Germany) ,
MATIS - Matis Ltd (Iceland) ,
NA - MicroDish BV (Netherlands) ,
UMH - Miguel Hernández University of Elche (Spain) ,
NA - Pharma Mar SA (Spain) ,
NA - Polymaris Biotechnology SAS (France) ,
NA - Ribocon GmbH (Germany) ,
DTU - Technical University of Denmark (Denmark) ,
UCC - University College Cork (Ireland) ,
UVA - University of Amsterdam (Netherlands) ,
UNIMI - University of Milan (Italy) ,
UW - University of Warwick (United Kingdom) ,
UBO - University of Western Brittany (France) ,
Start year 2012 End year 2016 Funding (€) € 11,970,228 Website https://www.macumbaproject.eu/macumba-project/macumba-overview Summary Marine microorganisms form an almost untapped resource of biotechnological potential. However, its use is hindered by the low success rate of isolation of novel microorganisms and often by poor growth efficiency. Hence, the vast majority of marine microorganisms has not been cultivated and is often considered as unculturable. MaCuMBA aims at improving the isolation rate and growth efficiency of marine microorganisms from conventional and extreme habitats, by applying innovative methods, and the use of automated high throughput procedures. The approaches include the co-cultivation of interdependent microorganisms, as well as gradient cultures and other methods mimicking the natural environment, and the exploitation of cell-to-cell communication. Signalling molecules produced by microorganisms may be necessary for stimulating growth of the same or other species, or may prevent their growth. Signalling molecules also represent an interesting and marketable product. MaCuMBA will make use of high throughput platforms such Cocagne, using gel micro-droplet technology, or MicroDish in which many thousands of cultures are grown simultaneously. Various single-cell isolation methods, such as optical tweezers, will aid the isolation of specific target cells. Isolated microorganisms as well as their genomes will be screened for a wide range of bioactive products and other properties of biotechnological interest, such as genetic transformability. Growth efficiency and expression of silent genes of selected strains will be increased also by using the clues obtained from genomic information. MaCuMBA is targeted to SMEs and industry and they make a significant part of the consortium, ensuring that the project focuses on the interests of these partners. Moreover, MaCuMBA has adopted a comprehensive and professional exploitation, dissemination, implementation, and education strategy, ensuring that MaCuMBAs results and products will be directed to end-users and stakeholders.
The objective of the MaCuMBA project is to uncover the untold diversity of marine microbes using cultivation-dependent strategies. Furthermore, MaCuMBA aims to improve the isolation rate and growth efficiency of marine microorganisms from conventional and extreme habitats by applying innovative methods and using automated high-throughput procedures.
Keywords
Genetic;
Microbial communities;
Bioprospecting;
Land-based aquaculture;
Bioactive compounds;
Genomic;
Technology;
Bioproduct;
Marine Region
76
Not associated to marine areas
0
Marine Region Map
