High-value components and bioactives from sea cucumbers for functional foods--a review

Sea cucumbers, belonging to the class Holothuroidea, are marine invertebrates, habitually found in the benthic areas and deep seas across the world. They have high commercial value coupled with increasing global production and trade. Sea cucumbers, informally named as bêche-de-mer, or gamat, have long been used for food and folk medicine in the communities of Asia and Middle East. Nutritionally, sea cucumbers have an impressive profile of valuable nutrients such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B1 (thiamine), Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (niacin), and minerals, especially calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc. A number of unique biological and pharmacological activities including anti-angiogenic, anticancer, anticoagulant, anti-hypertension, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antithrombotic, antitumor and wound healing have been ascribed to various species of sea cucumbers. Therapeutic properties and medicinal benefits of sea cucumbers can be linked to the presence of a wide array of bioactives especially triterpene glycosides (saponins), chondroitin sulfates, glycosaminoglycan (GAGs), sulfated polysaccharides, sterols (glycosides and sulfates), phenolics, cerberosides, lectins, peptides, glycoprotein, glycosphingolipids and essential fatty acids. This review is mainly designed to cover the high-value components and bioactives as well as the multiple biological and therapeutic properties of sea cucumbers with regard to exploring their potential uses for functional foods and nutraceuticals.     

华南地区热带亚热带草种质资源考察收集与保存利用现状及前景

作为最基本的农业自然资源,牧草在草地畜牧业、生态环境保存和农业可持续发展方面具有重要作用。本文简述了热带亚热带草种质资源在华南地区的调查收集、保存鉴定及繁育保存的方法。自20世纪40年代以来,中国热带农业科学院热带牧草研究中心一直致力于热带亚热带草种质资源的收集、保存和利用。目前已建成完整的热带牧草种质资源保存利用体系,包括低温保存种子库、离体保存库及无性繁殖材料田间保存圃,已收集保存华南地区12科161属435种5 190份野生牧草种质资源,引进保存豆科和禾本科2科42属87种1 042份外来牧草种质资源。其中低温种子库保存6科96属207种2 870份,离体保存3科6属6种482份,无性繁殖材料田间保存3科8属10种341份。     

Phylogenetic identification of fungi isolated from the marine sponge Tethya aurantium and identification of their secondary metabolites

Fungi associated with the marine sponge Tethya aurantium were isolated and identified by morphological criteria and phylogenetic analyses based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. They were evaluated with regard to their secondary metabolite profiles. Among the 81 isolates which were characterized, members of 21 genera were identified. Some genera like Acremonium, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Phoma, and Trichoderma are quite common, but we also isolated strains belonging to genera like Botryosphaeria, Epicoccum, Parasphaeosphaeria, and Tritirachium which have rarely been reported from sponges. Members affiliated to the genera Bartalinia and Volutella as well as to a presumably new Phoma species were first isolated from a sponge in this study. On the basis of their classification, strains were selected for analysis of their ability to produce natural products. In addition to a number of known compounds, several new natural products were identified. The scopularides and sorbifuranones have been described elsewhere. We have isolated four additional substances which have not been described so far. The new metabolite cillifuranone (1) was isolated from Penicillium chrysogenum strain LF066. The structure of cillifuranone (1) was elucidated based on 1D and 2D NMR analysis and turned out to be a previously postulated intermediate in sorbifuranone biosynthesis. Only minor antibiotic bioactivities of this compound were found so far.     

福建泉州地区珍稀野生药用植物资源与保护

通过对福建泉州地区植物资源的考查和研究,发现该地区有珍稀野生药用植物38科52属63种,其中蕨类植物7科7属8种,裸子植物8科9属10种,被子植物23科36属45种。从生活型上看,有乔木30种,灌木8种,草本20种,藤本5种。国家级保护的有36种,省级保护的有15种。该区珍稀植物具有起源古老,特有性强,地理分布复杂的特征。分析该区珍稀野生药用植物的生活型特征、分布区类型特征和致危原因,并提出相应的保护措施。     

Progress in Research on Bioactive Secondary Metabolites from Deep-Sea Derived Microorganisms

Deep sea has an extreme environment which leads to biodiversity of microorganisms and their unique physical and biochemical mechanisms. Deep-sea derived microorganisms are more likely to produce novel bioactive substances with special mechanism of action for drug discovery. This article reviews secondary metabolites with biological activities such as anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory isolated from deep-sea fungi and bacteria during 2018–2020. Effective methods for screening and obtaining natural active compounds from deep-sea microorganisms are also summarized, including optimizing the culture conditions, using genome mining technology, biosynthesis and so on. The comprehensive application of these methods makes broader prospects for the development and application of deep sea microbial bioactive substances.     

Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT) Regulatory Networks in Marine Organisms: From Physiological Observations towards Marine Drug Discovery

Part of our ocean’s richness comes from its extensive history of supporting life, resulting in a highly diverse ecological system. To date, over 250,000 species of marine organisms have been identified, but it is speculated that the actual number of marine species exceeds one million, including several hundreds of millions of species of marine microorganisms. Past studies suggest that approximately 70% of all deep-sea microorganisms, gorgonians, and sea sponges produce secondary metabolites with anti-cancer activities. Recently, novel FDA-approved drugs derived from marine sponges have been shown to reduce metastatic breast cancer, malignant lymphoma, and Hodgkin’s disease. Despite the fact that many marine natural products have been shown to possess a good inhibition potential against most of the cancer-related cell signaling pathways, only a few marine natural products have been shown to target JAK/STAT signaling. In the present paper, we describe the JAK/STAT signaling pathways found in marine organisms, before elaborating on the recent advances in the field of STAT inhibition by marine natural products and the potential application in anti-cancer drug discovery.     

Chemical Diversity and Biological Properties of Secondary Metabolites from Sea Hares of Aplysia Genus

The marine environment is an important source of structurally-diverse and biologically-active secondary metabolites. During the last two decades, thousands of compounds were discovered in marine organisms, several of them having inspired the development of new classes of therapeutic agents. Marine mollusks constitute a successful phyla in the discovery of new marine natural products (MNPs). Over a 50-year period from 1963, 116 genera of mollusks contributed innumerous compounds, Aplysia being the most studied genus by MNP chemists. This genus includes 36 valid species and should be distinguished from all mollusks as it yielded numerous new natural products. Aplysia sea hares are herbivorous mollusks, which have been proven to be a rich source of secondary metabolites, mostly of dietary origin. The majority of secondary metabolites isolated from sea hares of the genus Aplysia are halogenated terpenes; however, these animals are also a source of compounds from other chemical classes, such as macrolides, sterols and alkaloids, often exhibiting cytotoxic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and/or antifeedant activities. This review focuses on the diverse structural classes of secondary metabolites found in Aplysia spp., including several compounds with pronounced biological properties.     

北部湾海绵（Siphonochalina flexa）共附生细菌多样性及抑甘蔗鞭黑粉菌活性研究

分离纯化广西怪石滩海域海绵可培养共附生细菌,分析其多样性并研究共附生细菌发酵产物对甘蔗鞭黑粉菌的抑制活性,为研发新型生物农药提供参考依据。采用8种培养基分离纯化海绵共附生细菌,运用16S rDNA测序方法进行菌种鉴定及多样性分析,采用牛津杯法测试细菌发酵产物对甘蔗鞭黑粉菌的抑制效果。经形态学分析及16S rDNA比对,海绵中共获得34株共附生细菌,隶属于18科24属。活性检测结果表示,存在14株对甘蔗鞭黑粉菌有抑制效果的菌株。海绵中可培养共附生细菌物种多样性丰富,部分菌株的发酵产物对甘蔗鞭黑粉菌具有较强的抑制效果,有成为新型生物农药的潜力。     

海南省琼海市药用植物资源调查研究

在第四次全国中药资源普查的工作中,采用实地调查和样地分析相结合的方法,对琼海市药用植物进行了一次较为全面的考察。结果表明,琼海市药用植物资源丰富,类型多样,药用维管植物共计151科536属826种,其中蕨类植物15科17属25种,裸子植物1科1属1种,被子植物135科518属800种。其中以含1~5种药用植物的科占较大比例,达到76.16%;属以单种属占绝对优势。区系分析表明,琼海市野生植物的科的地理成分以热带性质为主。本区植被人为干扰较大,特有种及珍稀濒危植物比例较低,应加强保护力度。     

翁源青云山自然保护区维管束植物区系特征分析

青云山省级自然保护区位于韶关翁源县的东南部,本研究在查阅文献、历史标本的基础上,对本区进行全面踏查、标本采集并鉴定,从而进行植物物种多样性编目和区系分析。结果表明：青云山自然保护区有维管束植物1336种（含种下分类单位）,其中石松类和蕨类植物132种,隶属于62属24科,裸子植物6种,隶属于4属4科,被子植物1198种,隶属于588属148科;本区的表征科主要以樟科（Lauraceae）、壳斗科（Fagaceae）、冬青科（Aquifoliaceae）等为主。植物区系地理组成复杂,主要以热带、亚热带为主,且热带、亚热带的过渡性质明显。从中国特有种的分布情况来看,该地区与湖南南部、广西东北部、江西西南部联系较为紧密,体现了南岭山脉植物区系的一致性与整体性;珍稀濒危植物共计48种;植被具有中亚热带向南亚热带过渡的特征。青云山自然保护区植物物种丰富度高、植被类型多样,建议将园洞、青山口等珍稀濒危植物分布较集中的地区列为优先保护区域。     

Natural Product Chemistry of Gorgonian Corals of the Family Plexauridae Distributed in the Indo-Pacific Ocean

The structures, names, bioactivities and references of 105 natural products obtained from gorgonian corals belonging to the family Plexauridae with an Indo-Pacific distribution are described in this review. All compounds mentioned in this review were obtained from gorgonian corals belonging to the genera Astrogorgia, Bebryce, Echinomuricea, Euplexaura and Menella.     

Advances in Marine Microbial Symbionts in the China Sea and Related Pharmaceutical Metabolites

Marine animals and plants such as sponges, sea squirts, corals, worms and algae host diverse and abundant symbiotic microorganisms. Marine microbial symbionts are possible the true producers or take part in the biosynthesis of some bioactive marine natural products isolated from the marine organism hosts. Investigation of the pharmaceutical metabolites may reveal the biosynthesis mechanisms of related natural products and solve the current problem of supply limitation in marine drug development. This paper reviews the advances in diversity revelation, biological activity and related pharmaceutical metabolites, and functional genes of marine microbial symbionts from the China Sea.     

Investigation of Interspecies Interactions within Marine Micromonosporaceae Using an Improved Co-Culture Approach

With respect to bacterial natural products, a significant outcome of the genomic era was that the biosynthetic potential in many microorganisms surpassed the number of compounds isolated under standard laboratory growth conditions, particularly among certain members in the phylum Actinobacteria. Our group, as well as others, investigated interspecies interactions, via co-culture, as a technique to coax bacteria to produce novel natural products. While co-culture provides new opportunities, challenges exist and questions surrounding these methods remain unanswered. In marine bacteria, for example, how prevalent are interspecies interactions and how commonly do interactions result in novel natural products? In an attempt to begin to answer basic questions surrounding co-culture of marine microorganisms, we have tested both antibiotic activity-based and LC/MS-based methods to evaluate Micromonosporaceae secondary metabolite production in co-culture. Overall, our investigation of 65 Micromonosporaceae led to the identification of 12 Micromonosporaceae across three genera that produced unique metabolites in co-culture. Our results suggest that interspecies interactions were prevalent between marine Micromonosporaceae and marine mycolic acid-containing bacteria. Furthermore, our approach highlights a sensitive and rapid method for investigating interspecies interactions in search of novel antibiotics, secondary metabolites, and genes.     

Cryptic Metabolites from Marine-Derived Microorganisms Using OSMAC and Epigenetic Approaches

Marine microorganisms have proven to be a source of new natural products with a wide spectrum of biological activities relevant in different industrial sectors. The ever-increasing number of sequenced microbial genomes has highlighted a discrepancy between the number of gene clusters potentially encoding the production of natural products and the actual number of chemically characterized metabolites for a given microorganism. Homologous and heterologous expression of these biosynthetic genes, which are often silent under experimental laboratory culture conditions, may lead to the discovery of new cryptic natural products of medical and biotechnological interest. Several new genetic and cultivation-based strategies have been developed to meet this challenge. The OSMAC approach (one strain—many compounds), based on modification of growth conditions, has proven to be a powerful strategy for the discovery of new cryptic natural products. As a direct extension of this approach, the addition of chemical elicitors or epigenetic modifiers have also been used to activate silent genes. This review looks at the structures and biological activities of new cryptic metabolites from marine-derived microorganisms obtained using the OSMAC approach, the addition of chemical elicitors, and enzymatic inhibitors and epigenetic modifiers. It covers works published up to June 2021.     

Sea Cucumbers Metabolites as Potent Anti-Cancer Agents

Sea cucumbers and their extracts have gained immense popularity and interest among researchers and nutritionists due to their nutritive value, potential health benefits, and use in the treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases. Many areas of the world use sea cucumbers in traditional foods and folk medicine. Though the actual components and their specific functions still remain to be investigated, most sea cucumber extracts are being studied for their anti-inflammatory functions, immunostimulatory properties, and for cancer prevention and treatment. There is large scope for the discovery of additional bioactive, valuable compounds from this natural source. Sea cucumber extracts contain unique components, such as modified triterpene glycosides, sulfated polysaccharides, glycosphingolipids, and esterified phospholipids. Frondanol A5, an isopropyl alcohol/water extract of the enzymatically hydrolyzed epithelia of the edible North Atlantic sea cucumber, Cucumaria frondosa, contains monosulfated triterpenoid glycoside Frondoside A, the disulfated glycoside Frondoside B, the trisulfated glycoside Frondoside C, 12-methyltetradecanoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and fucosylated chondroitin sulfate. We have extensively studied the efficacy of this extract in preventing colon cancer in rodent models. In this review, we discuss the anti-inflammatory, immunostimulatory, and anti-tumor properties of sea cucumber extracts.     

Selection and evaluation of potential biocontrol rhizobacteria from a raised bog environment

Understanding the interactions of bacteria with plants and the role of microorganisms in the lifecycle of plants is becoming more and more important due to the social claim for a clean agriculture. Thus the significance of studying plant associated bacteria is increasing. The main aim of our study was to isolate and characterize bacteria associated with bryophytes from a natural raised bog ecosystem. Characterization of the isolates by their beneficial properties was realized with microbiological and molecular tools. Bacterial strains were identified taxonomically, isolates belonging to the genera Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Serratia, Stenotrophomonas, Delftia, Cedecea, Lysinibacillus and Viridibacillus have been found. Pseudomonas, Serratia and Bacillus were the dominant bacterial genera associated with bryophytes. In vitro study of antagonism showed that a high number of the isolates inhibited the growth of fungal and bacterial plant pathogens – Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternata, Erwinia carotovora – or produced secondary metabolic substances with biocontrol properties. Bacterial strains identified as Serratia fonticola BB17 and Pseudomonas fluorescens BE8 proved to be the most efficient against plant pathogens, with biocontrol effectiveness up to 48.28% and 55.17% respectively, suggesting the potential use of these strains in biotechnological applications.     

福建平潭岛滨海砂生种子植物植被资源及其区系特征分析

平潭岛位于中国东南沿海,是福建省第一大岛,通过样线法和样方法对平潭岛的滨海砂生种子植物进行调查,发现平潭岛共有滨海砂生种子植物71种,隶属64属31科.种数最多的6个科依次为禾本科、菊科、苋科、豆科、莎草科和旋花科? 平潭岛砂生种子植物区系以世界分布为主,共有16科13属,分别占总科数和总属数的51.61％和20.31...     

基于淘宝平台的观赏水草种类应用与分析

观赏水草是水族箱的重要组成部分,其消费日渐成熟。淘宝在售的观赏水草有淡水观赏水草17科22属96种(含品种),海水观赏水草10科11属13种。其中,淡水观赏水草有20种只具有观赏用途,占总种数的20.83%;76种兼具稳定水质和观赏用途,占总种数的79.17%。海水观赏水草有3种只具有观赏用途,2种兼具观赏和净化水质的用途,8种具有观赏、净化水质和饲用3种用途。淡水种类绝大部分都是外来种,仅13种在中国有分布,仅占总种数的13.54%;海水种类由于海水传播的特殊性,均为全球广布种或东太平洋种类。     

Photoprotective Bioactivity Present in a Unique Marine Bacteria Collection from Portuguese Deep Sea Hydrothermal Vents

Interesting biological activities have been found for numerous marine compounds. In fact, screening of phylogenetically diverse marine microorganisms from extreme environments revealed to be a rational approach for the discovery of novel molecules with relevant bioactivities for industries such as pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical. Nevertheless, marine sources deliverables are still far from the expectations and new extreme sources of microbes should be explored. In this work, a marine prokaryotic collection from four Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) deep sea hydrothermal vents near the Azores Islands, Portugal, was created, characterized and tested for its photoprotective capacity. Within 246 isolates, a polyphasic approach, using chemotaxonomic and molecular typing methods, identified 23-related clusters of phenetically similar isolates with high indexes of diversity. Interestingly, 16S rRNA gene sequencing suggested the presence of 43% new prokaryotic species. A sub-set of 139 isolates of the prokaryotic collection was selected for biotechnological exploitation with 484 bacterial extracts prepared in a sustainable upscalling manner. 22% of the extracts showed an industrially relevant photoprotective activity, with two extracts, belonging to new strains of the species Shewanella algae and Vibrio fluvialis, uniquely showing UV-A, UV-B and UV-C protective capacity. This clearly demonstrates the high potential of the bacteria MAR vents collection in natural product synthesis with market applications.     

西沙群岛维管植物资料增补（I）

2018年5、6月份对西沙群岛的永兴岛、石岛、赵述岛、西沙洲、南沙洲、中沙洲、北沙洲、北岛、中岛和南岛共10个岛屿的植物资源进行了野外考察、标本采集、鉴定以及文献查阅,共记录西沙群岛维管植物90科406种,确定西沙群岛未记录野生维管植物52种,新归化植物10种,新增栽培植物87种,隶属于59科130属,凭证标本保存于中国热带农业科学院植物标本室ATCH。西沙群岛原记录维管植物398种,在此次调查的基础上,结合相关文献资料及植物标本进行统计,西沙群岛维管植物共计101科352属543种,其中野生植物292种,栽培植物251种。此研究为西沙群岛植物资源提供了重要信息。