Arthur S. Goldberg Southampton College of Long Island University SoIiil~mpton,New York 11968
Marine Biochemistry A new interdisciplinary course for fhe inferim
A course entitled "Marine Biochemistry" was offered a t Southampton College during the interim winter semester of the 19761975 school year. The course was initiated as a result of both student interest and increasing awareness by scientists of the ~ o t e n t i ausefulness l of substances from the sea. A survey of the literature prior to 1960 dealing with compounds derived from the sea revealed a comparatively small number of papers which appeared in a diverse range of scientific journals. In 1960 the first organized effort to bring together scientists working on marine bioactive materials took dace a t the svmwsium "Biochemistrv and Pharmacoloev of ?ompounds fierived from Mar~ne~rl(anisms"( I ). ~ince;hen there has been increasinp interest in this field by the scientific community as is evidenced by the numerous conferences, symposia, and publications. A series of four conferences on "Drugs from the Sea" sponsored by the Marine Technology Society and the American Institute of Biological Sciences was held during the period 1967-1974 (2-5). In June 1975 a Gordon Research Conference, "Marine Natural Products," was held in Santa Barbara. California. This was followed hv the "International ~ y m p o i i u mon Marine Natural ~rod;cts" s~onsoredhv the Chemical Societv. London and the International i l n h n uf Pure and ~ p p l i e dchemistry in September 1 9 3 in Aherdcen. Scotland. A newsletter. '.Rioloaicallv Actke Substances from the Sea" (6),was recently initiated 6 further aid communication among researchers working in this area. A number of recent books, comprehensive review articles, and published symposia were used as source material for the course (1-22). Course Description
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"Marine Biochemistrv" is a four credit undergraduate course which includes lectures, laboratory, and field trips. Firsr-year organic chemistry is the only prerequisite for rhe course. The course is interdisciplinary in nature and involves a study of the biochemistry, pharmacology, and physiological significance of compounds from marine flora and fauna. The field trips were an integral part o i the course and allowed students to gain firsthand knowledge of current research in this field. The trips included tours of research laboratories and seminar programs. The laboratory experiments for the course involved the isolarion and characterization of specificclasses of compounds from marine organisms. Students were divided into groups, with each group working on a different experiment. The progress and problems associated with the experiments were discussed during the laboratow sessiom. A brief course outline is listed in ~ a b i e 1 s and 2. A detailed course syllabus may be obtained from the author upon request. AckTwledgment
The author wishes to express his appreciation to Dr. R. Gagosian (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), Dr. E.
Table 1. L e c t u r e Outline Background, History, a n d General Principles S y s t e m a t i c S t u d y of Individual Clarrer o f C o m p o u n d r I r o l a t l o n o f S p e c i f i c C l a s s e s of C o m ~ o u n d r BiOIyntheSis a n d M e t a b o l i s m of C o m p o u n d s Biological a n d P h a r m a c o l o g i c a l A c t i v i t i e s Bioessay M e t h o d s M a r i n e O r g a n l r m r ar Biological T e s t S y s t e m s Marine Biotaxins P h y i o g e n e t i c S t u d y of B i o a c t l v e C o m p o u n d r
Table 2.
Laboratory Experiments
1) 1601atiOn a n d C h a r a c t e r i z a t i o n o f N a D h t h o q u l n o n e P i g m e n t s f r o m sea u r c h i n S p i n e s (23) 2) I s o l a t i o n a n d C h r o m a t o g r a p h y of C o m p o u n d s f r o m M a r i n e Algae (unpublished) a Aminer b Stemis
Premuzic (New York Ocean Science Laboratory), and Dr. G. Ruggieri (Osborn Laboratories of Marine Sciences) for their time and effort in arranging the trip and seminar programs a t their respective institutes. Literature Cited (1) Nigre1li.R.F.. Ann. N Y Aced Sci, 90.615 (19601. 121 Freudenthal. H. D., (Editor), "Drugi from the Sea," Marine Technalom Society, Washington. D.C.. 1968. (3) Youngken, JLH. W., (Edilor),"Food-Drugifmm theSea,"MarineT%hnolomSoeiety. Washington, D.C.. 1970. (4) Worthen, L. R., (Editorl. "Fmd-Orugl fmm the Sea," Marine Teehnolom Society, Washington, D.C., 1973. (5) '"Food-Diugnfmm tho See," (PuertoRico, 1974, MarineTechnology Society, Washington, D.C., in press. (6) Born. A. K., (Editor). "Biologieslly Active Substsneea from the Ses." 1975. (7) Halsfead. B. W., "Poiaanour and venomous Marine h i m a l a of the World," U S . Government Printing Office, Wsshingmn. D C , Vole. 1-111. 1965-1968. 18) Bsslow. M. H.. "Marine Phsrmaeology," The Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1969. 19) McConneughey,B. H.,"Intraductianto MsrineBiology,"C. V.Mmhy Co.. St. Louis, 807"
(10) Kadis, S.. Ciogler, A,, and All. S. J., (Editors). "Microhid T0xins:'Vol. VI1,Aeademie Press, N e w York, 1971. I l l ) Russell. F. E.. in "Phannacologyand ToxieolokioINafvrslly Occurring Toxins," Vol. 11, Pergemon Press, New York, 1971, p. 3. (121 Simpson, 1 ., L.. 1Edifor);'Neuropoirona: Their Pathophyaiologicsl Actions," Vol. I. Plenum Press, New York, 1971. (13) Scheuer, P. J., "Ch~miatryofMarine Natural Produeu,"AesdemicPress, New York, 1971. (14) Martin. D. F,and Psdills, G. M., (Editom), '"MarinePhannmgnoey."AgnddmiePrpas. New York, 1973. (15) Humm, H. &and Lane,C. E.. (Editwd "BimetivcCompoundsfmfheSee."Msrcel Dekker,Ine.. NewYork, 1974. 116) Faulkner, D. J.. end Anderson. R. J..in "The Sea." (Editor: Goidhelg, E. D.), Vol. V, John Wiley and Sons, New Yark, 1974,~.679. 117) Nigre1li.R. F.,Stempien, Jr.. M. F..Ruggieri. G. D.,and Liguori. V. R..Fed. h r . , 26,
11969). (21) Premuzic, E..in Piogreaa in the Chemistry oi01ganic Noturn1 Products, 29. 417 11971). (22) Symposiumo"'~Mari"cPharmsmiok/MdsafAetionofTrminsonEreitehleTi~"e8~ Fed Proe., 31.1115 (1972). (23) Chsng,C. W.L a n d Mwre, J. C., J. CHEM. EDUC.,48.408 (1971).
Volume 53, Number 11, November 1976 / 717
