Halophilic Carotenoids and Breast Cancer: From Salt Marshes to Biomedicine

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women worldwide. Over the years, oxidative stress has been linked to the onset and progression of cancer. In addition to the classical histological classification, breast carcinomas are classified into phenotypes according to hormone receptors (estrogen receptor—RE—/progesterone receptor—PR) and growth factor receptor (human epidermal growth factor receptor—HER2) expression. Luminal tumors (ER/PR-positive/HER2-negative) are present in older patients with a better outcome. However, patients with HER2-positive or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) (ER/PR/HER2-negative) subtypes still represent highly aggressive behavior, metastasis, poor prognosis, and drug resistance. Therefore, new alternative therapies have become an urgent clinical need. In recent years, anticancer agents based on natural products have been receiving huge interest. In particular, carotenoids are natural compounds present in fruits and vegetables, but algae, bacteria, and archaea also produce them. The antioxidant properties of carotenoids have been studied during the last years due to their potential in preventing and treating multiple diseases, including cancer. Although the effect of carotenoids on breast cancer during in vitro and in vivo studies is promising, clinical trials are still inconclusive. The haloarchaeal carotenoid bacterioruberin holds great promise to the future of biomedicine due to its particular structure, and antioxidant activity. However, much work remains to be performed to draw firm conclusions. This review summarizes the current knowledge on pre-clinical and clinical analysis on the use of carotenoids as chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic agents in breast cancer, highlighting the most recent results regarding the use of bacterioruberin from haloarchaea.     

Carotenoid Production from Microalgae: Biosynthesis,Salinity Responses and Novel Biotechnologies

Microalgae are excellent biological factories for high-value products and contain biofunctional carotenoids. Carotenoids are a group of natural pigments with high value in social production and human health. They have been widely used in food additives, pharmaceutics and cosmetics. Astaxanthin, β-carotene and lutein are currently the three carotenoids with the largest market share. Meanwhile, other less studied pigments, such as fucoxanthin and zeaxanthin, also exist in microalgae and have great biofunctional potentials. Since carotenoid accumulation is related to environments and cultivation of microalgae in seawater is a difficult biotechnological problem, the contributions of salt stress on carotenoid accumulation in microalgae need to be revealed for large-scale production. This review comprehensively summarizes the carotenoid biosynthesis and salinity responses of microalgae. Applications of salt stress to induce carotenoid accumulation, potentials of the Internet of Things in microalgae cultivation and future aspects for seawater cultivation are also discussed. As the global market share of carotenoids is still ascending, large-scale, economical and intelligent biotechnologies for carotenoid production play vital roles in the future microalgal economy.     

Seasonal Factors of Correlation Between Climatic Factors, Photosynthetic and Agronomic Traits in Maize

The dry matter accumulation and photosynthetic traits of upper leaves were studied twice weekly in 1983, under field conditions, for two early maturing maize cultivars. Analysis of correlation between climatic data and those traits were based on four week periods. Seasonal patterns of correlation coefficients were drawn by shifting the beginning of these four week periods from one sampling data to the next until four weeks before the end of the sampling period. Most traits were significantly correlated with climatic factors at one time or another; only those correlations which were of longer duration will be mentioned here. Net assimilation rate was positively correlated with maximum temperature during intensive leaf growth. The relative growth rate was closely correlated with photosynthetic photon irradiance (PPI) during the second half of June and with phosphofructokinase activity during the second part of July. The chlorophyll content showed a close and positive relationship with minimum temperature until the end of June and with PPI during most of August. The content of carotenoids was, for the most part, negatively correlated with climatic factors, the closest relationship existing with the PPI at the previous sampling date until the beginning of July. The activity of photosynthetic enzymes such as RuBP carboxylase, NADP malate dehydrogenase and PEP carboxylase was generally less closely correlated with climatic factors over longer periods. Patterns of correlation were remarkably similar for the two cultivars.     

奇球菌属类胡萝卜素提取物的抗氧化活性研究

从不同种奇球菌属(Deinococci)细菌中分离提取类胡萝卜素,并利用高效液相色谱分析了提取物的组成和性质。通过DPPH自由基和超氧自由基清除试验,比较了不同菌种来源的类胡萝卜素提取物的抗氧化能力,结果发现,D.radiopugnans和D.radiodurans提取物的体外抗氧化能力最强,在浓度为0.6μg/ml时DPPH自由基清除率都达到46%左右;D.radiopugnans提取物的超氧自由基清除活性较强,在浓度为3μg/ml时清除率达到42.99%。同时,采取体外蛋白质氧化抑制试验和脂类氧化抑制能力测定分析比较了不同种类提取物对大分子的保护作用,结果表明D.radiopugnans和D.radiodurans提取物具有较强的生物大分子氧化防护功能。以上研究为从具有极端环境适应能力的奇球菌属筛选抗氧化活性类胡萝卜素,并进一步研究其作用机制提供了基础。     

Carotenoids of Sea Angels Clione limacina and Paedoclione doliiformis from the Perspective of the Food Chain

Sea angels, Clione limacina and Paedoclione doliiformis, are small, floating sea slugs belonging to Gastropoda, and their gonads are a bright orange-red color. Sea angels feed exclusively on a small herbivorous sea snail, Limacina helicina. Carotenoids in C. limacina, P. doliiformis, and L. helicina were investigated for comparative biochemical points of view. β-Carotene, zeaxanthin, and diatoxanthin were found to be major carotenoids in L. helicina. L. helicina accumulated dietary algal carotenoids without modification. On the other hand, keto-carotenoids, such as pectenolone, 7,8-didehydroastaxanthin, and adonixanthin were identified as major carotenoids in the sea angels C. limacina and P. doliiformis. Sea angels oxidatively metabolize dietary carotenoids and accumulate them in their gonads. Carotenoids in the gonads of sea angels might protect against oxidative stress and enhance reproduction.     

香蕉果肉类胡萝卜素提取与测定方法

大规模开展香蕉类胡萝卜素种质资源评价,发掘高类胡萝卜素的品种资源,提高主栽品种中类胡萝卜素的含量,对于提升香蕉产业竞争力具有重要的作用。开展此项研究需要建立高效的香蕉果肉类胡萝卜素提取和测定体系。本文拟建立基于超高效液相色谱仪（Agilent 1290）,适用于香蕉果肉的类胡萝卜素提取及测定的方法。利用YMC-C30色谱柱,在450 nm检测波长和柱温20℃条件下,比较了不同的料液比（g:mL,1:6、1:9、1:12、1:15）、定容溶液的比例（V:V,MTBE:甲醇=1:0、1:1、1:2）、流动相（V:V,甲醇:乙腈=4:0、3:1、2:2、1:3、0:4）、流速（0.6、0.8、1.2 mL/min）等对类胡萝卜素组分鉴定和含量测定的影响。结果表明,当提取试剂正己烷:丙酮:无水乙醇=2:1:1（V:V:V）,果肉与提取试剂的料液比为1:9,超声波破碎30 min,重复3次,定容溶液MTBE:甲醇=1:1时,香蕉类胡萝卜素组分分离的效果最好。当色谱条件A相以甲醇:乙腈,B相以MTBE（100%）为流动相,进样量为10 μL,流速为1 mL/min进行梯度洗脱时,可以很好的鉴定并分离类胡萝卜素的主要组分。利用优化后的体系进行检测不同类胡萝卜素含量的香蕉品种,发现香蕉果肉中的主要类胡萝卜素组分为叶黄素、α-胡萝卜素、β-胡萝卜素。高类胡萝卜素含量的‘French somber’香蕉品种约含9.79 μg/g,而低含量的‘中蕉8号’香蕉品种只有约0.201 μg/g,这也表明不同香蕉品种中类胡萝卜素的含量差异相对较大。本文中以香蕉果肉为材料所建立的类胡萝卜素提取与检测方法,操作简单,精确度高,为科研工作者在香蕉类胡萝卜素的功能研究方面提供参考。     

Effects of Nutrient and NaCl Salinity on Growth,Yield, Quality and Composition of Pepper Grown in Soilless Closed System

The effects of nutrient or sodium chloride (NaCl) salinity on pepper grown in closed soilless culture systems were studied. A control (2 dS m^?1) and two saline nutrient solutions (4 dS m^?1) differing in the salt sources (fertilizers or NaCl) were studied. Shoot biomass production as well as total and marketable yield were more affected by NaCl than nutrient salinity. Fruit dry matter and total soluble solids increased in both salinity treatments compared to the control. Total phenol content rose slightly (10%) with NaCl salinity, while the concentration of carotenoids was enhanced by 40% with NaCl compared to the control and nutrient salinity. The results showed that the response of pepper to salinity is both osmotic and ion specific, but a more negative effect was recorded under NaCl stress. Moreover, the highest content of antioxidant compounds in NaCl treated fruits may indicate that NaCl caused more stressful conditions than nutrient salinity.     

响应面法优化贵妃鸡蛋类胡萝卜素提取工艺

运用Box-Behnken中心组合设计试验原理,以提取时间、提取温度及液料比为试验因子,以提取液的吸光度为响应值,在单因素试验的基础上,采用三因素三水平的响应面分析法确定贵妃鸡蛋类胡萝卜素的最佳提取条件。结果表明,各因素对贵妃鸡蛋类胡萝卜素的提取影响顺序由大到小依次为:液料比提取时间提取温度,而因素之间的交互效应对提取的影响并不显著,贵妃鸡蛋类胡萝卜素最佳提取工艺为:提取温度45.7℃,提取时间98.4 min,料液比32.5 mL·g-1。     

胡杨条形叶和卵形叶类胡萝卜素含量与高光谱反射率的相关性研究

研究了胡杨两种叶形叶片的类胡萝卜素含量与高光谱反射率的相关性。2009年5月~9月在塔里木河上游逐月测定了生长季节期胡杨条形叶和卵形叶393~1 095 nm波长范围内高光谱反射率以及类胡萝卜素含量(单位:mg/g Fw和mg/g Dw)和密度(mg/m2叶面积),并进行了相关分析。结果表明,胡杨条形叶类胡萝卜素含量在0.34~0.37 mg/g Fw,0.66~0.77 mg/g Dw,和78.13~105.25 mg.m-2之间,卵形叶含量在0.24~0.39 mg/g Fw,0.52~0.73 mg/g Dw,和70.17~102.93 mg.m-2之间,且随季节而变化。不同月份,条形叶和卵形叶的类胡萝卜素含量、密度与不同波长高光谱反射率的相关性之间既有正相关也有负相关。其中,卵形叶类胡萝卜素含量(鲜基)与高光谱反射率在9月份时757 nm处的负相关性最强(相关系数为-0.582);条形叶类胡萝卜素密度与高光谱反射率在6月份时862 nm处的负相关性最强(相关系数为-0.430)。胡杨叶片类胡萝卜素与光谱反射率之间的相关性极为复杂,相关系数值受到季节、叶形、类胡萝卜素含量的表示单位和光谱波长的影响。     

Genetic variation for carotenoid pigment content in the amphiploid Hordeum chilense × Triticum turgidum conv. durum

Hexaploid tritordeum, the amphiploid Hordeum chilense x Triticum turgidum conv. durum has a higher grain carotene content than durum wheat. In order to decide strategies for introgressing this character into durum wheat, the effect on the carotene content of tritordeum synthesized with H. chilense and durum wheat differing in carotene content was analysed. Carotene content was evaluated in 35 primary tritordeum lines and their parents, 27 H. chilense accessions and 19 durum wheat cultivars. Some amphiploids have either one barley or wheat parent in common. In general, the influence of H. chilense is more important than that of wheat in the amphiploid carotene content. Nevertheless, the interactions between both parents on the amphiploid carotene content are also important.