Biochemical profiling of marine organisms

Biochemical profiling

A good characterisation of organisms (plants, animals) is essential to understand the interactions between species and any impact of changes in the environment on the organisms. Biochemical profiling allows to screen these interactions at different levels of organization, from cell to ecosystem. By focusing on specific molecules, called biomarkers, we can trace their pathways and thus the assimilation efficiency of food, e.g. from primary producers to higher trophic levels, from compound feed to the consumer in aquaculture installations, etc..

Biomarkers

In our laboratory we can screen the following biomarkers:

• Fatty acids, e.g. PUFA: EPA, DHA
• Stable isotopes (13C, 15N)
• Pigments: Chl (a, b, c), pheophytin A, pheophorbide A, chlorophyllide, pyropheophytin, peridinin, neoxanthin,19'-but-fucoxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, fucoxanthin, diatoxanthin, diadinaxanthin, a/b-carotene, 19'-hexfucoxanthin, violaxanthin, alloxanthin, crocoxanthin
• Nutrients: orthophosphate, ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, silica

Applications

• Feeding ecology of organisms, quantification of assimilation efficiency
• Tracing of the energy level of organisms (different fractions)
• Bioconversion of compounds
• Optimalisation of feed in aquaculture installations
• Compound discovery

Example

Bioconversion of compounds: we proved that copepods (crustacea) are able to elongate fatty acids and as such to produce PUFAs (polyunsaturated fatty acids). This is essential to get insight in the efficiency of marine organisms to transfer energy from plants (algae) and bacteria to finally the fish that end up on your plate (see De Troch et al., 2012).