Why in the news?
The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) launched the ‘One Day One Genome’ initiative on 1st foundation day of BRIC.
About Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC)
- It is an apex autonomous society, established by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, by subsuming 14 Autonomous Institutions (Ais).
- Objectives:
- Promoting cutting-edge research in biotechnology aligned with national priorities,
- Fostering innovation and translation across institutional boundaries,
- Developing indigenous technologies and capabilities.
- BRIC aims to establish a centralized and unified governance mechanism for its research institutions through intra-mural core grants.
- BRIC plays a crucial role in bringing together scientists and researchers from various institutions.
About one day one genome
- Aim: An annotated microbial genome will be publicly released every day to make microbial genomics data more accessible to researchers.
- It will highlight the unique bacterial species found in our country and emphasize their critical roles in environment, agriculture and the human health.
- Significance of the initiative: Create employment and fuel startup economy in biotech sector; Help in implementing India’s Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment (BioE3) policy; Unlock microbial potential of India by discovering such unknown microbes; spur innovation in microbial genomics etc.
About Microbial genomics
- It is the scientific field that studies the complete genetic material of microorganisms to understand their structure, function, evolution, and interactions with other organisms.
- Microbes, also known as microorganisms, are microscopic living organisms that are too small to see with the naked eye. E.g., bacteria, archaea, algae, protozoa, and microscopic animals such as the dust mite.
Significance of studying microbes
- For human health:
- Understanding relationship between disease causing bacteria and their genetic makeup researcher can enable surveillance of emerging pathogens.
- Advancing biotech application: Identifying microbial strains with beneficial properties can help in biofuel production, bio-manufacturing, development of bio-pharmaceuticals etc.
- Understanding microbial diversity: Helps researchers understand genetic basis of diversity within and between microbial species.
- For Environmental sustainability:
- Bioremediation: Microbes play an important role in all biogeochemical cycles, soil formation, mineral purification, degradation of organic wastes and toxic pollutants.
- E.g., Ideonella sakaiensis identified through genomics produce enzyme that degrade PET plastic into reusable monomers.
- Bioremediation: Microbes play an important role in all biogeochemical cycles, soil formation, mineral purification, degradation of organic wastes and toxic pollutants.
- Human health and disease management: Study of genomics helps in identifying the role of a microbe in human health. Examples-
- Manipulation of the gut microbiota is a potential therapeutic option to treat chronic gastrointestinal diseases.
- Genome sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis helps detect drug resistant strains.
- Agriculture: Nutrient cycling, nitrogen fixation, maintaining soil fertility, controlling pest and weeds and stress responses.
- E.g., Rhizobium bacteria forms symbiotic relationship with legumes to fix nitrogen thus reducing the need for fertilizer.
