Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) president Kim Woong-seo has announced the discovery in the ocean off Jeju Island of a new species of toxic plankton (dinoflagellate^*) which can be used as marine biomaterial. It has been named Fukuyoa Koreansis.
  * Dinoflagellate: a phytoplankton that can swim with two flagella, and cause red tide and paralytic shellfish poisoning along the coasts of Korea.

  Senior researcher Shin Hyun-ho and his colleagues from KIOST’s Library of Marine Samples, along with Dr. Zhun Li of the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience & Biotechnology, who develop new drugs from the toxins of marine organisms, discovered the plankton that produces ciguatoxin. By taxonomy, this species belongs to the genus Fukuyoa . Ciguatoxin is a neurotoxin produced by dinoflagellates, which activates neurons that cause spasms in humans; consuming fish containing paralytic toxins leads to vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, or even death.

  The discovery is significant in that a marine natural substance useful for humans was also found. “Natural substances” refers to various organic matter generated by plants, animals, and microorganisms, providing new ideas in the development of drugs, new biomaterials, and cosmetics. Only a few species have been studied among numerous species of marine animals and plants growing in oceans representing 80% of life on Earth. As research based on land creatures experiences saturation, countries are searching for biological resources to explore useful substances to solve challenges facing humans.

Researcher Shin observed, “With the Nagoya Protocol^** and research of marine natural substances being more active, exploration of new species with value as useful resources has gained importance. A toxin extracted from Fukuyoa Koreansis through mass culture could be developed as natural painkiller.” This research finding was published in the November issue of the international academic journal Harmful Algae. The newly discovered plankton is being kept at the KIOST South Sea Research Institute, designated by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries as a depository, registry and reserve of marine phytoplankton resources.

** The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which took effect on October 2014, is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way.

  President Kim noted that “Oceans are sources of biodiversity of the Earth and are valuable assets for mankind. Going forward, KIOST is dedicated to securing various genetic resources from marine organisms and studying their applications, thereby contributing to the development of marine bioindustry.”