Kelp Ark’s work aims to promote genetic diversity by advancing selective breeding in kelps and providing educational resources and services to the public. Kelp aquaculture can be low-impact and serve as nutritional feedstock for farmed abalone/fish, biostimulants for terrestrial crops and sequester nutrients. However, natural and farmed kelp canopies are increasingly threatened by ocean warming and grazing pressures, especially in California (USA). One of our current research projects aims to uncover the function for kelp-associated microbes in promoting algal growth, stress tolerance, and ecosystem thermal resilience. To advance understanding of these microbial partners, we conducted isolations of kelp-associated bacteria from different kelps and developed a curated “kelp-associated microbes” biobank. We launched a collaboration with a local university partner, Dr. McCauley at Cal State University, Dominguez Hills, to isolate over 120 pure isolates that were cultured using algal media supplemented with natural kelp exudates. Isolates were taxonomically identified through full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing and differentiated via Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry to assess strain-level diversity. Genomic cross-referencing against NCBI databases revealed several taxa with biosynthetic potential for phytohormone production relevant to kelp growth and stress regulation.
These findings may tell us more about the functional diversity and biotechnological promise of kelp-associated bacteria as potential symbiotic biostimulants of kelp. By integrating molecular identification with functional gene screening, our work is advancing towards the development of targeted microbial consortia to support kelp resilience and aquaculture efforts. This project also serves as a model for undergraduate and workforce development training in aquaculture microbiology and biobanking within the framework of microbiome-assisted macroalgal cultivation.
*Kelp Ark (a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit) is dedicated to safeguarding the genetic biodiversity of macroalgal shores along the American Pacific coast and beyond. As an off-site seed bank, we currently host 2000+ distinct genotypes of 12 kelp species (500 of these genotypes have been independently sequenced), developed in collaboration with the Alberto Lab at UWM, Lewis lab at Wheaton College, and Stekoll lab in UFA.