Lauren McCollum, DNA Forensics for Deep-Sea Organisms

While using DNA forensics to determine unknown deep-sea organisms, microbiologists and chemical engineers use several distinct techniques and technologies. Before a microbiologist can analyze marine DNA samples, engineers must develop proper technologies capable of obtaining DNA samples. This is where robots come in. Engineers can program robots capable of exploring the ocean’s depths. Andy Bowen, an engineer at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for thirty-years, develops underwater robots professionally. Passionate and energetic about his work, Bowen says that his “imagination gets to work with that scientist’s to produce something unexpected that…’’ allows scientists to “...understand the ocean in a new way” (Bowen). One robot in particular, the Mesobot, is perfect for exploring the ocean’s depths, while simultaneously collecting environmental DNA samples, also known as eDNA. The Mesobot, developed by WHOI engineer Dana Yoerger, “slowly follows an individual animal, particle, or even gas bubble as it moves around in the water” (LaCapra). It takes high quality snapshots of organisms, while avoiding disturbing their ecosystems. The Mesobot

collects eDNA samples through a “device known as a SUPR (Suspended Particulate Rosette) sampler” (LaCapra). The SUPR sampler can “...filter up to 12 samples during a single...mission and preserve them immediately after collection” (LaCapra). Preserving the samples is essential because eDNA samples are notorious for contaminating quickly. Veronica LaCapra describes the vehicle as “something like a 4-foot-tall, bright-yellow bar of soap, turned on one long edge” (LaCapra). The Mesobot only weighs about three-hundred pounds, and has built in battery power capable of withstanding two days of underwater exploring (LaCapra).

(What’s a Mesobot?- Mesobot, Follow That Jellyfish! New Robot Will Track Animals In The Twilight Zone, n.d.)

Besides the Mesobot, other marine robots include the Deep-See, BIOMAPER-II, and The Bigelow. All of these robots were proved to be proficient, but their designs were outdated and limited, thus paving the way for the Mesobot. For example, The BIOMAPER-II could only descend three-hundred feet, and according to LaCapra, “that depth is not useful enough” (LaCapra). On the other hand, the Deep-See was a whopping three-thousand pounds, which was far too heavy for transportation.

Once the robot is retrieved from the ocean, microbiologists specialized in examining marine organisms can begin their work in the lab. The eDNA samples are extracted from the robot, and the DNA analysis can begin. For DNA analysis microbiologists use metabarcoding, a process in which DNA barcodes are “...assessed from whole groups of organisms, providing a broader snapshot of the biodiversity in a spot in the ocean” (Ortega). Metabarcoding is especially useful because it can be used for a wide variety of marine organisms, from “...microbes to whales” (Ortega). Annette Govindarajan, a microbiologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, uses metabarcoding alongside other DNA forensic techniques every day. She compares her work as a microbiologist to that of a detective. She explains,

“Police compare their suspects’ fingerprints to those in a database of known criminals...by comparing newfound barcodes to those in a database of known species... you can identify organisms from just their genes” (LaCapra). The more organisms discovered, the easier it is to identify collected DNA samples. The metabarcoding technology is relatively new, but microbiologists are optimistic and hopeful for the future of marine biology.

(DNA Detective- DNA Forensics Identify Unknown Deep-Sea Organisms, n.d.)

When determining unknown deep-sea organisms, chemistry is essential. Marine biology and marine chemistry go hand and hand throughout each process. Chemistry falls under three subcategories: organic chemistry, inorganic, and biochemistry. According to Thaler on the MarineBio website, marine chemistry mostly falls under the organic chemistry group. Thaler defines organic chemistry as “...the study of compounds that occur naturally from plants and animals” (Thaler). In other words, organic chemistry is the study of compounds containing both hydrogen and carbon (all living organisms contain an abundance of both elements). Chemists incorporate organic chemistry into the design or marine robots. Depending on ocean depth, there are varying pH levels, and levels of oxygen (Thaler). It is critical that robots are engineered able to withstand the pH levels and oxygen levels which are present in the ocean. Scientists study the compounds, and chemical makeup of a particular part of the ocean, and then share those findings with engineers, who then can design robots suitable for those conditions. The processes for discovering marine organisms really come full circle, incorporating chemists, then engineers, then microbiologists. All fields of science combine for one common goal: understanding the ocean more thoroughly.

Heather Fullerton, a professor at the College of Charleston, corresponded with me regarding a career in this field. Her minimum salary as a marine biology professor is 60K a year, and a maximum is 100K (Fullerton). She says that a salary “less than $60K isn’t common” (Fullerton). She also says that a Bachelor’s degree in microbiology or a PhD in microbiology is required for the field. I also corresponded with Stephen Truchon, a marine ecologist. Stephen works for an oil company out of Houston. As a marine ecologist, Stephen is familiar with DNA

forensics for marine life. He says that minimum education is a Bachelor’s degree in biology (Truchon). He says, “Marine Ecologist salaries currently range between $38,500 (25th percentile) to $69,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $80,000 annually across the United States” (Truchon). Both of these individuals specialize in different fields within marine biology, but both of them still study similar concepts. Both work towards the bigger picture-understanding the ocean’s depths. Careers in marine biology vary greatly. Depending on strengths, as well as, career goals, a marine biology career is flexible and rewarding. Scientists have combined the skills of microbiologists, engineers and chemists to provide answers for these questions. Advances in science are finally allowing scientists to unpack one of science’s greatest mysteries, the ocean. Robots, DNA barcoding, forensic analysis, and metabarcoding provide scientists the capability to investigate unknown marine organisms. In my research paper I explored the techniques used to determine unknown deep-sea organisms. As you can see, all areas of science are incorporated in this field. Engineers, marine biologists and chemists combine their ideas and talents to further explore the oceans. Technology has significantly improved in recent years, and scienets are excited to see where technology will take their studies in the future.

References

Bowen, A. (2019). Andy Bowen: DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL DEEP

SUBMERGENCE FACILITY AT WHOI. Oceanus, 54(1), 24. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A583654375/SCIC?u=lap 09capt&sid=SCIC&xid=38103152

LaCapra, V. (2019). Mesobot, Follow That Jellyfish! NEW ROBOT WILL

TRACK ANIMALS IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE. Oceanus, 54(1), 38+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A583654378/SCIC?u=lap 09capt&sid=SCIC&xid=ea7c00e2

Ortega, R. P. (n.d.). “Monterey Bay: Following the DNA Trail in the Pacific

Ocean.” Mercury News, Media News Group, 11 Aug. Retrieved February 23, 2021,

LaCapra, V. (n.d.). “Oceanus.” Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, The

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 17 Apr. Retrieved February 23, 2021,

LaCapra, V. (2019). Round Up the Unusual Suspects: DNA FORENSICS

IDENTIFY UNKNOWN DEEP-SEA ORGANISMS. Oceanus, 54(1), 42+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A583654380/SCIC?u=lap 09capt&sid=SCIC&xid=ff974aca

LaCapra, V. (n.d.). “The Deep-See Peers into the Depths.” Whoi Oceanus, The

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 20 Feb. Retrieved February 23, 2021,

Thaler, A. D. (n.d.). “What Is Chemistry and Why Is It Important to the Study of Marine Biology?” Marine Bio, The MarineBio Conservation Society, 2020, marinebio.org/oceans/ocean-chemistry/. Retrieved February 23, 2021,

Received by Heather E Fullerton, Research Concern, 22 Feb. 2021.

Received by Stephen Truchon, Research Concern, 22 Feb. 2021.