Biotechnology for Sustainable Futures Associate Professor Ian Menz Dean, School of Biological Sciences

How can Biotechnology support sustainable futures? Economic Sustainability –More efficient processes –New industries Community Sustainability –Increased food production –Water and Energy supply –Waste recycling –Improved health outcome

The Chinese “Blue (marine) Economy” Adelaide’s sister city, Qingdao, in Shandong Province is centre of the Blue Economy In 2012 the output of the Chinese Blue economy was RMB5 trillion ~ AUD$1 trillion Many opportunities, to develop, SA economy economy

Food Production Aquaculture –Breeding and Genetics –Diet –Disease and health CleanSeas, Yellowtail King Fish

Marine Bioproducts an Ocean of untapped resources Marine microalgae –only 10 % of some 40,000 species isolated and cultured –World’s fastest-growing plants: can double biomass daily Marine microorganisms –constitute as much as 10% of the total living biomass carbon of the biosphere –only 3000 marine species have been described over an estimated 1.5 million species –< 5% culturable and < 1% potentially useful compounds screened Overall –nearly 300,000 marine species described, estimated as only a small percentage of total number of species (Zhang et al., 2011)

Marine Bioproducts Therapeutics –antibiotics –antivirals –anticancer –anti dementia

Marine Bioproducts Industrial materials –Food Additives –Fertiliser –Feed –Cosmetics –detergents Gather Great Ocean Group (GGOG) S.E. Australia/Qingdao China Sodium Alginate, Carrageenan, Agar, Mannitol, Alginic acid, Iodine

Protein haze in white wine Which wine would you drink? Caused by grape pathogen related (PR) proteins

Plant Defence (Immune) Responses Chisolm et al. (2006) Cell 124:

The current haze solution Bentonite fining, is used to transform, cloudy to clear. However, it is: – non selective –increases tank time –can lead to loss of volume and quality –creates waste –cost the industry $1 billion per year

Protein Crystallography

X-ray diffraction at the Australian synchrotron

Understanding the properties of proteins that cause haze in white wine

Looking for future solution Haze proteins are resistant to proteases typically used in the processing of food and beverages Currently examining aspartic proteases from the grape fungal pathogen Botrytis (noble rot) for there ability to cleave the haze proteins.

Biotechnology and Sustainability An enabling science Applicable to many sectors Can transform practices to make them sustainable (economic, environmental, resource, etc.) Primed for expansion due to economic and political factors.