India is all set to launch a 90 day scientific Cruise Mission to sample water, sediments, planktons, and various organisms in search of genome mapping and micronutrients such as iron, zinc, magnesium, etc.
CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography is the nodal agency to conduct genome and proteome mapping present inside single-cell organisms in the Indian Ocean.
The expedition will start from Visakhapatnam and travel up to 30 degrees south i.e. the waters between Australia and Maldives and go as deep as 6 km into the Indian Ocean to collect samples using the non-metallic system to avoid any biological contamination.
Scientists will then use next-generation genome sequencing and Sanger sequencing techniques to extract genetic information of the organisms that they come across.
Objectives of the Genome mapping Mission
- To identify and characterize the genes and proteins in the ocean to understand the cellular level operations of organisms in the ocean.
- Proteins act as catalyst for the biochemical reaction the organisms undergoing in motion
- Through proteomics or Proteome mapping, we can identify the biochemistry of organisms under varying ocean conditions.
Advantages of the Indian Ocean Genome mapping project
- The expedition may help strengthen the country’s research into commercial biotechnology applications including anticancer treatments as well as help understand new climate change patterns.
- Open new insights into taxonomy of deep see species to optimise conservation efforts
- The project will also map genetic diversity of organisms, micronutrients and trace metals in them
- It helps us to understand cellular biochemistry and the response of ocean to climate change, increasing pollution and nutrient stress.
Challenges of Genome mapping
- It is very difficult to record and evaluate species in oceans than on land. So far only a fraction of the species in the deep sea and polar oceans have been identified.
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