Fucoxanthin, a marine carotenoid present in brown seaweeds and diatoms: metabolism and bioactivities relevant to human health

The marine carotenoid fucoxanthin can be found in marine brown seaweeds, the macroalgae, and diatoms, the microalgae, and has remarkable biological properties. Numerous studies have shown that fucoxanthin has considerable potential and promising applications in human health. In this article, we review the current available scientific literature regarding the metabolism, safety, and bioactivities of fucoxanthin, including its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-obese, antidiabetic, antiangiogenic and antimalarial activities, and its protective effects on the liver, blood vessels of the brain, bones, skin, and eyes. Although some studies have shown the bioavailability of fucoxanthin in brown seaweeds to be low in humans, many studies have suggested that a dietary combination of fucoxanthin and edible oil or lipid could increase the absorption rate of fucoxanthin, and thus it might be a promising marine drug.     

Improvement in recruitment of Japanese sardine with delays of the spring phytoplankton bloom in the Sea of Japan

To evaluate the impact of temporal variation of primary productivity on the recruitment of Japanese sardine (Sardinops melanostictus) in the Sea of Japan, the phenology of sea surface phytoplankton abundance was estimated from 8 day multiple satellite (SeaWiFS, MODIS‐Aqua, MERIS, and VIIRS) derived sea surface chlorophyll (SSChl) a concentrations from January 1998 to December 2015. Because relationships between SSChl a and in situ chlorophyll a concentrations were significantly different among periods based on the satellite combinations used, maximum and minimum SSChl a concentrations of 1 year were relativized as 1 and 0, respectively. Spatio‐temporal variation of relativized SSChl a concentrations was determined by using empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis. Scores in the first EOF mode denoted the basin‐scale variations of SSChl a concentrations in the Sea of Japan, and the major peak from the end of February to the end of May displayed the spring bloom. The logarithm of recruitment per spawner (LNRPS) for sardine was positively affected by delays in the start and end dates of the spring phytoplankton bloom. The delay of the date of the lowest sea surface temperature contributed to the delay of the end of the spring bloom during the period 1998–2015 and elevated the LNRPS during the period 1982–2015. Sardine spawns in the southern Sea of Japan from April to May, hence, delays of the spring bloom prolonged its overlap with sardine larval periods, and thus improved the recruitment of Japanese sardine in the Sea of Japan.     

不同砧木对嫁接黄瓜蜡粉形成及硅吸收分配的影响

 为探讨嫁接影响黄瓜果实表面蜡粉形成的机制,选择对嫁接黄瓜果实表面蜡粉形成具有明显不同影响的砧木品种,研究了嫁接黄瓜的植株生长和硅吸收分配特性,结果表明：少蜡粉砧木嫁接黄瓜,结果期株高、叶片数和前期产量低于多蜡粉砧木和中蜡粉砧木嫁接的黄瓜,但显著高于自根黄瓜;黄瓜叶片中硅含量显著高于茎和根系;少蜡粉砧木嫁接黄瓜叶片和茎中硅含量低于中蜡粉、多蜡粉砧木嫁接黄瓜和自根黄瓜;根系中硅含量以‘云南黑籽南瓜’嫁接的黄瓜最高;黄瓜果实发育过程中果实中硅含量呈先升高后降低的变化趋势,位于果实同节位的叶片中硅含量逐渐减少;少蜡粉砧木嫁接黄瓜果实中硅含量明显低于多蜡粉砧木、中蜡粉砧木嫁接黄瓜和自根黄瓜。不同砧木影响嫁接黄瓜果实表面蜡粉形成可能与硅的吸收分配特性有关。     

The Negative Relationship between Fouling Organisms and the Content of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid in Cultivated Pacific Oysters,Crassostrea gigas

Bivalves serve as an important aquaculture product, as they are the source of essential fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), in our diet. However, their cultivation in the wild can be affected by fouling organisms that, in turn, affect their EPA and DHA content. The effects of fouling organisms on the EPA and DHA contents of cultivated bivalves have not been well documented. We examined the effects of fouling organisms on the EPA and DHA contents and condition index of cultured oysters, Crassostrea gigas, in an aquaculture system. We sampled two-year-old oysters from five sites in Shizugawa Bay, Japan, in August 2014. Most of the fouling organisms were sponges, macroalgae, and Mytilus galloprovincialis. A significant negative relationship existed between the DHA content in C. gigas and the presence of sponges and macroalgae. A lower C. gigas EPA content corresponded to a higher M. galloprovincialis fouling mass and a lower C. gigas condition index. This can be explained by dietary competition between C. gigas and M. galloprovincialis for diatoms, which were the main producer of EPA in our study sites. Our findings indicate that fouling organisms likely reduce the EPA and DHA content in cultivated oysters. Therefore, our results suggest that the current efforts to remove fouling organisms from oyster clusters is an effective strategy to enhance the content of EPA and DHA in oysters.     

两种除藻剂对黄丝藻藻华叶绿素a含量和抗氧化酶活性的影响

用不同浓度硫酸铜、异噻唑啉酮对采自养殖池塘的黄丝藻藻华染毒,分时采样,用分光光度计法测定叶绿素a（ChII a）含量,用相应的试剂盒测定丙二醛（MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT)活性的变化。结果表明,硫酸铜、异噻唑啉酮对黄丝藻24、48、72、96 h的半数有效浓度（EC50）分别为5.551、4.543、3.646、2.898mg/L 和13.712、9.858、8.680、5.114 mg/L。随着浓度的升高,硫酸铜、异噻唑啉酮对黄丝藻的毒性越来越强,浓度为2.40 mg/L 时黄丝藻ChII a含量、SOD、CAT 活性较低,而MDA 含量较高,说明此时黄丝藻细胞已经完全解体。浓度为0.42 mg/L 时,各个测量值与对照组差异不显著,说明低浓度两种除藻剂96 h内对黄丝藻的毒性较小。结果说明两种除藻剂都可以抑制或者杀死黄丝藻藻华,并且硫酸铜对黄丝藻藻华的毒性较异噻唑啉酮强。     

底栖硅藻悬浮培养条件及活性物质研究进展

底栖硅藻作为鲍鱼和海参的主要饵料,对鲍苗和海参的生长、变形和发育有极其重要的作用。从藻体中提取的活性成分具有独特的营养和药用价值,被广泛应用于许多领域。综述了悬浮培养条件对海洋底栖硅藻的生长和营养成分的影响,旨在为大规模悬浮培养底栖硅藻及其活性物质研究提供依据。     

Occurrence of the Microcystins MC-LW and MC-LF in Dutch Surface Waters and Their Contribution to Total Microcystin Toxicity

Microcystins (MCs) are the most frequently found cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater systems. Many MC variants have been identified and variants differ in their toxicity. Recent studies showed that the variants MC-LW and MC-LF might be more toxic than MC-LR, the variant that is most abundant and mostly used for risk assessments. As little is known about the presence of these two variants in The Netherlands, we determined their occurrence by analyzing 88 water samples and 10 scum samples for eight MC variants ((dm-7-)MC-RR, MC-YR, (dm-7-)MC-LR, MC-LY, MC-LW and MC-LF) by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection. All analyzed MC variants were detected, and MC-LW and/or MC-LF were present in 32% of the MC containing water samples. When MC-LW and MC-LF were present, they contributed to nearly 10% of the total MC concentrations, but due to their suspected high toxicity, their average contribution to the total MC toxicity was estimated to be at least 45%. Given the frequent occurrence and possible high toxicity of MC-LW and MC-LF, it seems better to base health risk assessments on the toxicity contributions of different MC variants than on MC-LR concentrations alone.     

Domoic Acid Improves the Competitive Ability of Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima against the Diatom Skeletonema marinoi

Because domoic acid, a neurotoxic secondary metabolite produced by marine diatoms in the genus Pseudo-nitzschia, is hypothesized to be part of a high affinity iron uptake system, we investigated whether domoic acid could improve the competitive ability of Pseudo-nitzschia delicatissima, and whether the availability of iron changed the outcome of competition experiments. We found that domoic acid had a slight negative effect on growth of the diatom Skeletonema marinoi when it was grown in monocultures. However, when S. marinoi was cultured with P. delicatissima the presence of domoic acid resulted in a reduction of S. marinoi cells by up to 38% and an increase in P. delicatissima cell numbers by up to 17% under iron replete conditions. Similar effects were not observed in low iron treatments. Domoic acid was not taken up by P. delicatissima cells. Overall, our results indicate that domoic acid can improve the competitive ability of Pseudo-nitzschia spp. and that iron is likely to be involved. This study provides an unusual example of indirect inhibition of competitor growth mediated by a secondary metabolite.     

氮磷的不同供应比例和频度对藻类水华形成的影响

为了探讨氮磷的不同供应比例和频度对藻类水华形成的影响,本研究设计了7种氮磷添加比例（质量比）：只添加氮（以＋N表示）、50：1、20：1、7：1,1：1、1：7和只添加磷（以＋P表示）;2种添加频度：频度较大的L系列（实验前期每日均进行添加）,频度较小的S系列（只在实验过程中添加1次）。两种添加频度下,相同添加比例的处理的营养盐添加量相近。在处理＋N、50：1、20：1、7：1和1：1中以N浓度为基准进行相应比例的P添加,在处理1：1、1：7和＋P中以P浓度为基准进行相应比例的N添加。在1：1处理缸中N、P净增加均约为2.4mg·L-1。实验水体来自一个浮游植物丰富但没有微囊藻水华的天然富营养池塘。实验于2007年8月1日—8月13日在室外采用玻璃缸进行。结果表明,两种添加频度以及不同氮磷添加比例下,实验过程中出现的水华种类均为微囊藻（Microcysti sspp.）水华,没有固氮藻类水华出现。在两种不同添加频度下,微囊藻水华在处理＋N、50：1、20：1、7：1和1：1中明显形成,而处理＋P和1：7中,微囊藻水华的出现会晚几天或者水华现象不明显,这表明本实验中单独添加氮比单独添加磷对微囊藻水华形成的促进作用要明显些。水体中微囊藻水华的出现与适宜的氮磷比例添加有关,氮磷添加比例适宜时,两种不同的添加频度下均可出现微囊藻水华,但氮磷营养盐的不同添加比例和频度均没有导致固氮藻类水华的出现。     

太湖及湖州市河流中噬藻体分离与鉴定

[目的]从太湖及其周边蓝藻爆发的自然水体中,筛选专一性侵染水华蓝藻的噬藻体。[方法]从太湖及湖州市9个河流、池塘等水体中采集水样,根据GenBank收录的各类噬藻体的基因序列,用Vector NTI软件设计出一系列的检测引物,扩增噬藻体核酸。[结果]通过PCR技术,从1个池塘的水样中成功地检测到SSM和SPGM 2种噬藻体。[结论]建立了适合当地水域噬藻体分离鉴的方法与技术,为进一步研究其溶藻特性和抑藻作用规律、建立南太湖噬藻体种子库提供第一手资料。