Lyngbyastatins 8–10, Elastase Inhibitors with Cyclic Depsipeptide Scaffolds Isolated from the Marine Cyanobacterium Lyngbya semiplena

Investigation of an extract from the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya semiplena, collected in Tumon Bay, Guam, led to the identification of three new cyclodepsipeptides, lyngbyastatins 8–10 (1–3). The structures of 1–3 were determined by NMR, MS, ESIMS fragmentation and chemical degradation. Compounds 1–3 are closely related to lyngbyastatins 4–7. Like the latter compounds, we found 1–3 to inhibit porcine pancreatic elastase, with IC₅₀ values of 123 nM, 210 nM and 120 nM, respectively.     

Natural Polyether Ionophores and Their Pharmacological Profile

This review is devoted to the study of the biological activity of polyether ionophores produced by bacteria, unicellular marine algae, red seaweeds, marine sponges, and coelenterates. Biological activities have been studied experimentally in various laboratories, as well as data obtained using QSAR (Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationships) algorithms. According to the data obtained, it was shown that polyether toxins exhibit strong antibacterial, antimicrobial, antifungal, antitumor, and other activities. Along with this, it was found that natural polyether ionophores exhibit such properties as antiparasitic, antiprotozoal, cytostatic, anti-mycoplasmal, and antieczema activities. In addition, polyethers have been found to be potential regulators of lipid metabolism or inhibitors of DNA synthesis. Further study of the mechanisms of action and the search for new polyether ionophores and their derivatives may provide more effective therapeutic natural polyether ionophores for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. For some polyether ionophores, 3D graphs are presented, which demonstrate the predicted and calculated activities. The data presented in this review will be of interest to pharmacologists, chemists, practical medicine, and the pharmaceutical industry.     

2种蓝藻的生长对不同环境pH的响应

利用静态实验法研究了满江红鱼腥藻和固氮鱼腥藻在不同pH环境中的生长与环境的相互关系。实验结果表明,在pH5～9的环境中,2种藻都可以正常生长,且生长的过程中还改变了生长环境的pH值,酸性环境pH值都发生上升,碱性环境的pH改变不大。在pH3和11的环境中,2种藻的生长都受到抑制。     

Uncovering the Bioactive Potential of a Cyanobacterial Natural Products Library Aided by Untargeted Metabolomics

The Blue Biotechnology and Ecotoxicology Culture Collection (LEGE-CC) holds a vast number of cyanobacteria whose chemical richness is still largely unknown. To expedite its bioactivity screening we developed a natural products library. Sixty strains and four environmental samples were chromatographed, using a semiautomatic HPLC system, yielding 512 fractions that were tested for their cytotoxic activity against 2D and 3D models of human colon carcinoma (HCT 116), and non-cancerous cell line hCMEC/D3. Six fractions showed high cytotoxicity against 2D and 3D cell models (group A), and six other fractions were selected by their effects on 3D cells (group B). The metabolome of each group was organized and characterized using the MolNetEnhancer workflow, and its processing with MetaboAnalyst allowed discrimination of the mass features with the highest fold change, and thus the ones that might be bioactive. Of those, mass features without precedented identification were mostly found in group A, indicating seven possible novel bioactive molecules, alongside in silico putative annotation of five cytotoxic compounds. Manual dereplication of group B tentatively identified nine pheophytin and pheophorbide derivatives. Our approach enabled the selection of 7 out of 60 cyanobacterial strains for anticancer drug discovery, providing new data concerning the chemical composition of these cyanobacteria.     

Off-flavors in pond-grown ictalurid catfish: Causes and management options

Ictalurid catfish grown in ponds often acquire undesirable off-flavors prior to harvest. Off-flavors develop when odorous, lipophilic substances in food or water are absorbed across gut or gill epithelium and concentrated in edible tissues. The most common causes of catfish off-flavors are two nontoxic secondary metabolites of planktonic cyanobacteria: geosmin (causing an earthy off-flavor) and 2-methylisoborneol (causing a musty off-flavor). Off-flavored fish are unacceptable for processing, and harvest must be postponed until the source of the odorous compound disappears and the compound purges from edible fish tissue. Harvest delays caused by episodes of off-flavor increase production time, interrupt cash flow, and increase the risk of fish loss. Catfish farmers consider off-flavor to be one of their most important production-related problems. This paper reviews the causes of off-flavor in catfish, pharmacokinetics of uptake and loss of odorous compounds in catfish, seasonality and prevalence of off-flavors, farm- and industry-level impacts, the ecology of cyanobacteria in catfish ponds, and various strategies for preventing or treating cyanobacterial (and other) off-flavors. A decision-making system based on knowledge gained from research is presented as a guide to effective use of the limited tools available to manage off-flavors.     

控制光照条件下添加SO_4~（2-）对水稻土中Fe（Ⅲ）还原的影响

为探讨光照和硫酸盐对微生物Fe（Ⅲ）还原的影响,在光照和光暗转换条件下,采用厌氧泥浆恒温培育方法分别在四川和天津2种石灰性水稻土中添加不同浓度硫酸盐溶液（20、50、800mmol·kg-1）,培养过程中定期测定土壤泥浆的Fe（Ⅱ）、叶绿素a含量和pH值。结果表明：光照条件下,添加20mmol·kg-1和50mmol·kg-1硫酸盐能减缓光照培养中因为蓝细菌光合作用放氧引起的Fe（Ⅱ）氧化反应,Fe（Ⅱ）氧化反应启动时间与对照处理相比延迟3～7d;蓝细菌在光照培养5d后开始迅速繁殖生长,叶绿素a增长速率表现为随硫酸盐浓度增大而增加,其最终含量在四川和天津水稻土中分别为20mg·kg-1和16mg·kg-1;800mmol·kg-1硫酸盐则完全抑制了Fe（Ⅱ）的重新氧化,且在整个培养周期中没有发现光合细菌存在。pH值变化呈现先微弱下降后升高的趋势,但始终维持在弱碱性范围内。当由光照转入避光培养后,Fe（Ⅱ）累积量又重新回升,增长速率表现为对照〉20mmol·kg-1S处理〉50mmol·kg-1S处理。表明光照并非直接影响铁还原微生物,而是通过光合微生物繁殖间接影响铁还原过程。     

培养基中几种重要营养元素对Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120及Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803生长的影响

配制KNO3、KHCO3、NaHCO3、FeNa2-EDTA及Na2s2 O3营养盐培养液,并按一定浓度添加至液体或固体培养基中,获得含有不同营养素、不同浓度的液体及固体培养基,检测无机氮(NO3-)、无机碳(HCO3-)、Fe及Na2S2O3对集胞蓝细菌Synechocystis sp.strain PCC 6803和鱼腥蓝细菌Anabaena sp.strain PCC 7120细胞生长的影响.结果显示,集胞蓝细菌Synechocystis sp.strain PCC 6803在10 mmol/L硝酸盐生长较好,鱼腥蓝细菌Anabaena sp.strain PCC 7120在2 mmol/L硝酸盐生长较好.不同浓度KHCO3及NaHCO3都会对蓝细菌的生长产生影响,可能是因为盐离子发挥了主要作用.此外,2种蓝细菌在10 mmol/L Na2S2O3中生长较好,不同浓度的铁盐对蓝细菌的生长产生较大影响,在10μmol/L铁盐中生长最佳.     

碱法热处理对蓝藻厌氧发酵生物转化及微囊藻毒素降解效果的影响

以蓝藻为原料的厌氧发酵生物转化效率差,产气量低,恰当的预处理工艺可以调整蓝藻特性,提升厌氧发酵的产气效率。本文研究碱法热处理耦联的预处理工艺对蓝藻降解效果的影响,采用旋转组合设计法,以蓝藻藻浆SCODcr为响应值,研究预处理3个主要参数变化对蓝藻细胞的分解效果。结果表明,三次多项式数学模型可以很好的拟合联合预处理工艺参数对蓝藻藻浆SCODcr的影响,模型的R²为0.983 9。验证试验表明：当NaOH处理浓度为3%、78℃处理5.6 h时,蓝藻藻浆SCODcr为5 446 mg·L^-1,是采用1% NaOH、40℃处理3 h,蓝藻藻浆SCODcr值（2 570 mg·L^-1）的2.12倍。厌氧发酵结果表明,经优化处理后的蓝藻藻浆产气率较对照提高了4.72倍,达425.4 mL·g^-1 VS。同时,研究发现经预处理的蓝藻厌氧发酵后,烘干的藻粉中不含MC-RR,MC-YR含量仅为0.58×10^-2 μg·kg^-1,可安全地用于制备复合有机肥。     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Coastal Sediments Covered by Cyanobacteria Mats (9 pp)

Background   Biocommunities of phototrophic microorganisms (principally cyanobacteria) developing on the surface sediments of shallow, warm and semi-isolated coastal environments, bind or trap small particles on their polysaccharide sheaths creating organosedimentary structures. Those structures are called algal mats and they are commonly flat and laminar in shape. They are also called recent stromatolites due to their remarkable similarity to the fossil ones. Objectives   Not many geochemical studies exist concerning cyanobacterial mats in Mediterranean coasts, in comparison with the biological ones. Considering the importance of nitrogen and phosphorus in the cyanobacteria mat development, the present study aims to contribute to the knowledge of their chemical behaviour in such environments. Methods   Sediment cores of about 10 cm length along with water samples were collected during the course of a year from two Greek coastal areas. Sediments were fractionated in three distinct layers according to their structure. A wet oxidation method for the simultaneous determination of total nitrogen and total phosphorus was applied to all sediment samples. The total organic carbon (TOC), the total inorganic phosphorus and the natural pigment content in the sediment samples were also determined. Standard spectrophotometric methods were used for the determination of the concentration of dissolved nutrients. In situ measurements of pH, temperature and salinity were also carried out. Results and Discussion   The sampling areas were found to be in the mesotrophic level. The group of aerobic filamentous cyanobacteria dominated the sediment biocommunities. The pH of the sediment showed a gradual reduction downwards. The highest content of TOC, total nitrogen and total phosphorus were detected in the surface layer of the sediment samples. The contribution of organic phosphorus to the total phosphorous ranged between 0% and 50% with an average value of 26.6%. A depletion of organic phosphorus in the anoxic middle layer of the sediment was detected. A good positive correlation between total nitrogen and chlorophyll-a, as well as total nitrogen and TOC in the surface sediment layer, was observed. A good negative correlation between total phosphorous in sediments and dissolved phosphates in seawater was also observed. Conclusions   The high content of total nitrogen recorded in the surface sediments indicate that cyanobacteria accumulate nitrogen acquiring it from the sediment, the marine environment and the air (in the form of N2). A proportional accumulation in phosphorus also happens, although to a lesser degree. The temporal fluctuation of nitrogen content in the sediment's surface layer agrees with the temporal fluctuation of primary production. The cyanobacterial mat acts as a natural pump that transfers phosphorus from seawater to the surface of the sediment. Recommendations and Outlook   A further, more extensive, multidisciplinary study of cyanobacterial mats is needed for the determination of the biogeochemical processes that take place there and for the effective environmental management of the areas where these forms develop.