Genomic, transcriptomic and culture-based assessment of UV irradiation effects on phytoplankton viability: applications for ballast water treatment systems

美国海岸警卫队(USCG)最近对压载水的处理引入了严格的法规，以最大限度地减少或消除通过压载水运输引入水生入侵物种的风险。在压载水处理系统(BWTSS)中，紫外线(UV)照射是一种有用的技术，用于消除可能对人类和环境有害的入侵水生物种。紫外线**破坏DNA并阻止细胞复制，但USCG协议中规定的重要染色方法**可能无法检测到浮游植物中的紫外线损害。由于担心基于文化的物种偏见(即，不是所有物种都可以生长)，**尚未批准以文化为基础的生殖能力替代措施。快速和**准确的分析，以确定细胞被紫外线破坏，无法恢复，是接受**基于紫外线的BWTS浮游植物的关键。因此，我们建议开发高通量浮游植物培养**技术，并将它们与基因组/转录学方法相结合，以量化DNA损伤和**相关的基因转录中断，这些基因转录在**浮游植物群落中的一系列基因功能类别中**通常存在于压载水中。**特洛伊技术(特洛伊)总部位于加拿大安大略省伦敦市，是世界领先的水处理公司之一。特洛伊木马公司提供的产品和服务在使水处理过程的**各个阶段更加有效、高效和可持续方面发挥着至关重要的作用，范围从住宅**到工业、市政和海洋应用。将紫外线杀菌技术应用于BWTS**代表着一个潜在的全球市场，价值150亿美元。我们将与特洛伊合作开发**高通量培养协议，结合先进的元基因组和元转录技术**，验证BWTS的紫外线灭菌，从而在全球范围内扩大特洛伊的市场，为**航运行业提供实用、安全和经济高效的压载水灭菌选择。

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) recently introduced stringent regulations for the treatment of ballast**water to minimize or eliminate the risk of the introduction of aquatic invasive species via ballast water**transport. Ultra-violet (UV) light irradiation is a useful technology in ballast water treatment systems (BWTSs)**for eliminating aquatic species which could be invasive and harmful to humans and the environment. UV**damages DNA and prevents cellular replication, but the vital stain methods mandated in the USCG protocol**may not detect UV damage in phytoplankton. Alternative culture-based measures of reproductive capacity are**yet to be approved due to concerns over culture-based species biases (i.e., not all species may grow). Rapid and**accurate assays to identify cells that are UV damaged beyond recovery are critical for the acceptance of**UV-based BWTSs for phytoplankton. Hence we propose to develop high-throughput phytoplankton culture**technologies and combine them with genomic/transcriptomic approaches to quantify DNA damage and the**associated disruption of gene transcription at key functional gene loci across a range of gene function classes in**the phytoplankton community typically found in ballast water.**Trojan Technologies (Trojan), headquartered in London, Ontario, Canada is one of the world's leading water**treatment companies. The products and services provided by Trojan companies play vital roles in making**various stages of the water treatment process more effective, efficient and sustainable, ranging from residential**to industrial, municipal and marine applications. The application of UV sterilization technology to BWTSs**represents a potential global market of >$15 billion (USD). We will partner with Trojan to develop the**high-throughput culture protocols in concert with advanced meta-genomic and meta-transcriptomic technology**to validate UV sterilization for BWTSs and thus expand Trojan's market on a global scale and provide the**shipping industry with a practical, safe and cost-effective ballast water sterilization option.