Combating Biofouling

Combating Biofouling

A design experiment by Madison Evans

The Issue

source: Australian Government Dept. of Agriculture

1.Polymers2.Bacteria3.Algae, worms,

barnacles, mussels

Formation of Fouled Hulls

Michelle Hamel

Prevention● Slick silicon

coating● Copper bottom● Biocide paint

o tributyltino toxic

SolutionsClean Up● Scrub● Power Wash● Biocides

● invasiveo out-compete

natives for foodo sharp o damage

infrastructure● Eastern Europe →

Great Lakes o ballast water

Focus on Zebra Mussel

California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife

● Mussels use a group messaging system for mating and settlement

● Engineer Pelagibacter ubiqueo P. ubique to respond

to mussel serotonino express Grimontia

hollisae collagenase gene

My Solution

Mussel Structure

Cell Design

Serotonin Receptors

Collagenase

Quorum Sensing Molecules Serotonin Receptor Protein Synthesis

Biofilm Polymer Secretion

1 1 1

0 0 0

Muscle Serotonin Presence Collagenase Production GFP

0 0 0

1 1 1

● lab culturing-72 hourso nutritious

solution● dry dock

growth-48 hourso spray

Placement of Bacteria

Controlled tank environments● salt● freshwater● zebra mussels

o nutrients to reach reproductive age

Testing

● highly specific● possibility for evolution of mussels● other biofouling organisms

unaddressed● difficult to implement (growth on dry

boat)

Problems

● Multiple lines of bacterial spray● Universal signaling molecule of

mussels instead of just serotonin

Alternatives

Combating Invasive Zebra Mussels

A design experiment by Madison Evans

Brandelli, Adriano et al. “Production of an extracellular keratinase from Chryseobacterium sp. growing on raw feathers.” Electronic Journal of Biotechnology. 13 Jan 2005.<http://www.ejbiotechnology.info/index.php/ejbiotechnology/article/view/v8n1-6/428>

Proal, Amy. “Understanding Biofilms.” Bacterialty: Exploring Chronic Disease. 26 May 2008. <http://bacteriality.com/2008/05/26/biofilm/>

“Stopping the Mussel Invasion.” National Park Service. <http://www.nps.gov/cure/planyourvisit/mussel_facts.htm>Winner, Cherie. “Barnacles and Biofilms.” Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. 5 Dec 2012.

<http://www.whoi.edu/oceanus/feature/barnacles-and-biofilms>Reid, D.C. et al. “Biofouling in Stirred Tank Reactors: Effect of Surface Finish.”

<http://books.google.com/booksid=g5miDB7M0WsC&pg=PA529&lpg=PA529&dq=do+biofilms+cause+drag&source=bl&ots=nGMKSiYnAV&sig=V4oho8Boac3GdoJfWf0w_dr6JZ8&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OL3VU7ezIIS3yASJqoDYDA&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=do%20biofilms%20cause%20drag&f=false

Teramura, Tamoko et al. “Cloning of a Novel Collagenase Gene from the Gram-Negative Bacterium Grimontia (Vibrio) hollisae1706B and

Its Efficient Expression in Brevibacillus choshinensis.” American Society for Microbiology. 22 Apr 2011. <http://jb.asm.org/content/193/12/3049.full>

Milne, Catherine T. et al. “A Comparison of Collagenase to Hydrogel Dressings in Wound Debridement.” Wounds Research. 1 Nov 2010.<http://www.woundsresearch.com/content/comparison-collagenase-hydrogel-dressings-wound-debridement>

Lucas, Jared M. et al. “A molecular, morphometric and mechanical comparison of the structural elements of byssus from Mytilus edulis and Mytilus galloprovincialis.” The Journal of Experimental Biology. 5 Apr 2012. <http://jeb.biologists.org/content/205/12/1807.full.pdf>

“Collagenase Guide” Sigma-Aldrich.<http://www.sigmaaldrich.com/life-science/metabolomics/enzyme-explorer/learning-center/collagenase-guide.html>Images Courtesy of the Australian Government Department of Agriculture and photographer Mila Zinkova.

References