Editorial Material
Chemistry, Medicinal
Anatolii I. Usov, Maria I. Bilan, Nadezhda E. Ustyuzhanina, Nikolay E. Nifantiev
Summary: Sulfated polysaccharides known as fucoidans, obtained from brown algae, have attracted attention due to their biological activities. Fucus vesiculosus and Ascophyllum nodosum, both belonging to Fucales order, are popular sources of commercial fucoidans. Despite their similarities in chemical composition and biological actions, these fucoidans differ considerably in their polysaccharide mixtures. Carefully characterized structures from both fucoidans may have valuable applications in drug development.
Review
Instruments & Instrumentation
Archana George, Pranav S. S. Shrivastav
Summary: Fucoidan, a sulfated marine seaweed obtained from brown algae, has attracted significant interest due to its various biological activities and potential applications in drug delivery systems. This polysaccharide has been extensively studied for its regenerative properties, wound healing capabilities, and as a drug delivery vehicle. However, the main challenge lies in the variability of fucoidan extraction from different species, harvesting methods, and climatic factors. This review provides a comprehensive overview of fucoidan's origin, chemical structure, physicochemical and biological properties, and its role in nanodrug delivery systems.
DRUG DELIVERY AND TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ekaterina D. Obluchinskaya, Olga N. Pozharitskaya, Elena V. Gorshenina, Denis V. Zakharov, Elena V. Flisyuk, Inna I. Terninko, Yuliya E. Generalova, Alexander N. Shikov
Summary: The impact of the geographic location of Fucus distichus L. on its biochemical composition, antiradical properties, and health risk was evaluated in this study. The main carbohydrates varied among different regions, with the highest level found in samples from the Barents Sea. Most Arctic F. distichus samples showed low or undetectable levels of heavy metals and were deemed safe for daily consumption. The results support the potential use of Arctic F. distichus as a rich source of polysaccharides, polyphenols, and flavonoids with important antiradical activity.
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Joseph P. Bennett, Laura F. Robinson, Leonardo D. Gomez
Summary: Phaeophyta (brown algae) make up a significant part of macroalgal production globally, with only a few species contributing to biomass production. Seaweed farming in Asia, where consumption for human consumption is common and growing conditions differ significantly from Europe, has higher production. However, the current cost of European seaweed aquaculture production is not economically viable. This review focuses on three target brown algae species and investigates their potential uses in various industries.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Diogo Nunes, Rebeca Andre, Asma Ressaissi, Bernardo Duarte, Ricardo Melo, Maria Luisa Serralheiro
Summary: This study evaluated the influence of gender and growth stage on the biological activities, chemical composition, and metal content of Fucus vesiculosus L. seaweed. The total phenol content, antioxidant activity, and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity were affected by different factors. Primary metabolites and phloroglucinol were the main compounds identified. The evaluation of the seaweed's metal content confirmed its safety as a food source.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Patricia Susano, Joana Silva, Celso Alves, Alice Martins, Helena Gaspar, Susete Pinteus, Teresa Mouga, Marcia Ines Goettert, Zeljko Petrovski, Luis B. Branco, Rui Pedrosa
Summary: This study evaluated the dermatological potential of the brown seaweed Carpomitra costata, with the ethyl acetate fraction (F3) showing the most promising results in terms of antioxidant, photoprotective, anti-enzymatic, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Yu Rim Kim, Min Ju Park, Soo-yeon Park, Ji Yeon Kim, Iain A. Brownlee, Amany Tawfik
Summary: Seaweed supplementation appears to be a promising strategy for improving blood glucose regulation in individuals with diabetes, as evidenced by significant improvements in postprandial blood glucose, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR levels.
Review
Plant Sciences
Zahra Ilyas, Ali Ali Redha, Yuan Seng Wu, Fathima Zahraa Ozeer, Rotimi E. Aluko
Summary: Himanthalia elongata is a brown seaweed rich in nutritional compounds and bioactive substances, including antioxidants, dietary fiber, vitamins, fatty acids, amino acids, and various elements. It also contains bioactive compounds like phlorotannins, flavonoids, fucoxanthin, hydroxybenzoic acid, hydroxycinnamic acid, polyphenols, and carotenoids. Comparative studies have shown that H. elongata exhibits high antioxidant capacity, phenolic content, fucose content, and potassium concentrations compared to other seaweed species. It has also demonstrated potential anti-hyperglycemic and neuroprotective activities, and is being studied for industrial food applications.
PLANT FOODS FOR HUMAN NUTRITION
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Mariana A. Andrade, Cassia H. Barbosa, Victor G. L. Souza, Isabel M. Coelhoso, Joao Reboleira, Susana Bernardino, Rui Ganhao, Susana Mendes, Ana Luisa Fernando, Fernanda Vilarinho, Ana Sanches Silva, Fernando Ramos
Summary: Algae and seaweeds have been used in cooking since ancient times, particularly in Asian cultures. Phenolic compounds from Fucus vesiculosus extract were successfully incorporated into a whey protein film to delay lipid oxidation of chicken breasts, showing potential antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ekaterina D. D. Obluchinskaya, Olga N. N. Pozharitskaya, Denis V. V. Zakharov, Elena V. V. Flisyuk, Inna I. I. Terninko, Yulia E. E. Generalova, Alexander N. N. Shikov
Summary: This study analyzed the biochemical composition, antiradical properties, and human health risk of Fucus spiralis collected in different seas. The concentration of carbohydrates varied in different seas and reproductive phases, with the highest levels found in the Barents Sea during the fertility phase. The accumulation of polyphenols and flavonoids followed a similar pattern, with the highest levels in the Barents Sea and a decrease during the fertility phase. The antiradical power was strongly correlated with polyphenols and flavonoid content and was increased in sterile phase seaweeds. Metal Pollution Index (MPI) varied across the seas, with the highest values found in seaweeds from the Irminger Sea.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
William J. Hatchett, Alexander O. Jueterbock, Martina Kopp, James A. Coyer, Susana M. Coelho, Galice Hoarau, Agnieszka P. Lipinska
Summary: Sex-biased gene expression is important in sexual differentiation and is conserved in the brown algal species Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus. Male-biased genes in these species show remarkable conservation and are enriched in functions related to gamete production and sperm competition. These findings suggest that evolutionary forces affect male and female sex-biased genes differently in Fucus algae.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Artyom V. Belesov, Daria A. Lvova, Danil I. Falev, Ilya I. Pikovskoi, Anna V. Faleva, Nikolay V. Ul'yanovskii, Anton V. Ladesov, Dmitry S. Kosyakov
Summary: This study proposes a green approach to the fractionation of brown algae biomass based on the dissolution in ionic liquids. By controlling the IL cation nature, temperature, and treatment duration, efficient dissolution and isolation of polysaccharides and polyphenols can be achieved. This method shows great potential for industrial-scale production of bioactive substances from brown algae.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexandra Kinnby, Gunilla B. Toth, Henrik Pavia
Summary: Climate change affects the growth and biochemical composition of seaweeds, particularly reducing their chemical defense and increasing susceptibility to grazers under conditions of high temperature, low salinity, and high pCO2.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Boutjagualt Imane, Benbacer Laila, Hmimid Fouzia, Guenaou Ismail, Errami Ahmed, Bouothmany Kaoutar, El Mzibri Mohamed, Etahiri Samira, Benba Jamila
Summary: This study evaluated the in vitro cytotoxic potential of compounds extracted from Fucus spiralis collected on the Moroccan Atlantic coast. The bioactive fraction showed significant antiproliferative activity against several cancer cell lines, and the major constituents were identified as an isoquinoline alkaloid and a polyphenolic compound. These compounds could be promising drug candidates in cancer therapy.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Najmeh Sheikhzadeh, Ehsan Ahmadifar, Mehdi Soltani, Hossein Tayefi-Nasrabadi, Shalaleh Mousavi, Mohammed A. E. Naiel
Summary: This study found that feeding Padina australis can promote the growth and general health of common carp. Feeding common carp with Padina australis ethyl acetate extract for 8 weeks improved their growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, immune response, and disease resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila infection.
Article
Plant Sciences
Claudio F. Silva, Gareth A. Pearson, Ester A. Serrao, Inka Bartsch, Neusa Martins
Summary: The study investigated the survival and reproduction of early life stages of kelp in the harsh Arctic environment, finding that A. esculenta has greater survival and reproductive success than L. digitata. Canopy shading is crucial for reproductive success in L. digitata, and predicted summer temperature increase may reduce sexual reproduction in both kelp species.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Neusa Martins, Luis Barreto, Inka Bartsch, Julien Bernard, Ester A. Serrao, Gareth A. Pearson
Summary: Many organisms have internal clocks to synchronize biological processes with environmental changes, but the Arctic poses challenges to circadian clocks. This study investigated the effects of daylength and light intensity on the reproduction and growth of kelp species. The results showed that longer daylengths led to higher sporophyte production, and high light intensities improved sporophyte survival at high temperatures.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2022)
Article
Biology
Collin P. Gross, J. Emmett Duffy, Kevin A. Hovel, Melissa R. Kardish, Pamela L. Reynolds, Christoffer Bostrom, Katharyn E. Boyer, Mathieu Cusson, Johan Eklof, Aschwin H. Engelen, Britas Klemens Eriksson, F. Joel Fodrie, John N. Griffin, Clara M. Hereu, Masakazu Hori, A. Randall Hughes, Mikhail V. Ivanov, Pablo Jorgensen, Claudia Kruschel, Kun-Seop Lee, Jonathan Lefcheck, Karen McGlathery, Per-Olav Moksnes, Masahiro Nakaoka, Mary I. O'Connor, Nessa E. O'Connor, Jeanine L. Olsen, Robert J. Orth, Bradley J. Peterson, Henning Reiss, Francesca Rossi, Jennifer Ruesink, Erik E. Sotka, Jonas Thormar, Fiona Tomas, Richard Unsworth, Erin P. Voigt, Matthew A. Whalen, Shelby L. Ziegler, John J. Stachowicz
Summary: This study used a model selection approach to investigate trait dispersion in crustaceans associated with eelgrass in two oceans. The results showed that dispersion increased with increasing predation and decreasing latitude. Additionally, the study found that ocean and epiphyte load were also predictors of trait dispersion.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Correction
Microbiology
Indra Monsees, Victoria Turzynski, Sarah P. Esser, Andre Soares, Lara I. Timmermann, Katrin Weidenbach, Jarno Banas, Michael Kloster, Bank Beszteri, Ruth A. Schmitz, Alexander J. Probst
Article
Ecology
Naihao Ye, Wentao Han, Andrew Toseland, Yitao Wang, Xiao Fan, Dong Xu, Cock van Oosterhout, Igor Grigoriev, Alessandro Tagliabue, Jian Zhang, Yan Zhang, Jian Ma, Huan Qiu, Youxun Li, Xiaowen Zhang, Thomas Mock
Summary: This study reveals that polar microalgae have a higher demand for zinc due to elevated cellular levels of zinc-binding proteins. Zinc plays an important role in supporting photosynthetic growth in eukaryotic polar phytoplankton, which is critical for algal colonization of low-temperature polar oceans.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Joao Neiva, Ricardo Bermejo, Alba Medrano, Pol Capdevila, David Milla-Figueras, Pedro Afonso, Enric Ballesteros, Brahim Sabour, Donatella Serio, Eduardo Nobrega, Joao Soares, Jose Valdazo, Fernando Tuya, Martina Mulas, Alvaro Israel, Sofia S. Sadogurska, Michael D. Guiry, Gareth A. Pearson, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: This study provides new insights into the systematics, species delimitation, and biogeography of Cystoseira s.l. in the North-east Atlantic. By using molecular markers, the researchers identified 27 molecular operational taxonomic units, including previously unknown cryptic diversity, and proposed redefinitions, reinstatements, and recognitions of certain taxa.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Marcio A. G. Coelho, Gareth A. Pearson, Joana R. H. Boavida, Diogo Paulo, Didier Aurelle, Sophie Arnaud-Haond, Daniel Gomez-Gras, Nathaniel Bensoussan, Paula Lopez-Sendino, Carlo Cerrano, Silvija Kipson, Tatjana Bakran-Petricioli, Eliana Ferretti, Cristina Linares, Joaquim Garrabou, Ester A. Serrao, Jean-Baptiste Ledoux
Summary: This study found clear differentiation between Atlantic and Mediterranean lineages of the octocoral genus Paramuricea previously identified as P. clavata. Additionally, it identified a potential speciation event within the Atlantic population of P. cf. grayi involving two color morphotypes. These findings have important implications for conservation planning and validate the usefulness of phylotranscriptomics in resolving evolutionary relationships in octocorals.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Danijela Vidakovic, Zlatko Levkov, Jelena Krizmanic, Bank Beszteri, Bojan Gavrilovic, Milos Ciric
Summary: A new diatom species, Mayamaea pannonica sp. nov., is described using morphological and molecular approaches. It possesses typical characteristics of the genus Mayamaea, but can be distinguished from similar species based on valve outline and shape of the central area. Although a culture of the species is not available, a partial 18S rRNA gene sequence from the same sample suggests the presence of the new species. Saline habitats in Serbia and neighboring countries are endangered, and identifying the species living there is crucial for their preservation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael W. Kloster, Andrea M. Burfeid-Castellanos, Daniel Langenkaemper, Tim W. Nattkemper, Bank Beszteri
Summary: In this study, deep learning-based segmentation methods were used to segment gigapixel-sized, high-resolution scans of diatom slides with a realistically cluttered background. Object-based tiling approaches were found to improve pixel-based precision and reduce errors in cropping fragments compared to the standard sliding window tiling approach.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katy R. Nicastro, Gareth A. Pearson, Xana Ramos, Vasco Pearson, Christopher D. McQuaid, Gerardo I. Zardi
Summary: The impact of climate change on biodiversity has necessitated the understanding of environmental stress responses, particularly for ecosystem engineers. This study focuses on the intertidal mussel Perna perna and examines differences in thermal tolerance and gene expression between two genetic lineages. The results reveal both interspecific and intraspecific differences in thermal tolerance and shed light on the evolutionary trajectories of species in response to changing climate.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana I. Tavares, Jorge Assis, Patrick D. Larkin, Joel C. Creed, Karine Magalhaes, Paulo Horta, Aschwin Engelen, Noelo Cardoso, Castro Barbosa, Samuel Pontes, Aissa Regalla, Carmen Almada, Rogerio Ferreira, Ba Mamadou Abdoul, Sidina Ebaye, Mohammed Bourweiss, Carmen Van-Dunem dos Santos, Ana R. Patricio, Alexandra Teodosio, Rui Santos, Gareth A. Pearson, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: The genetic differentiation of the seagrass species Halodule wrightii is not predicted by simulated oceanographic transport, suggesting that active dispersal vectors like grazers play a role in its distribution.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Pierre Liboureau, Gareth A. Pearson, Luis Barreto, Ester A. Serrao, Anja Kreiner, Neusa Martins
Summary: As climate change impacts marine ecosystems, sessile species like kelps are particularly vulnerable to rapidly changing environmental conditions. The study explored how thermal history affects reproductive success and cross-generational plasticity in a warm-temperate kelp. Results showed that prior vegetative growth under warm conditions improved reproductive success, while the thermal history of parental gametophytes influenced the thermal tolerance of microscopic sporophytes.
MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jorge Assis, Filipe Alberto, Erasmo C. Macaya, Nelson Castilho Coelho, Sylvain Faugeron, Gareth A. Pearson, Lydia Ladah, Daniel C. Reed, Peter Raimondi, Andres Mansilla, Paul Brickle, Giuseppe C. Zuccarello, Ester A. Serrao
Summary: This study aims to bridge the gap in understanding the impact of past climate-driven range shifts on intraspecific biodiversity in marine environments. By comparing genetic diversity and population structure with species distribution modeling, the researchers found that the global distribution of the giant kelp is indeed influenced by past climate changes. They also highlighted the importance of regional genetic groups in the conservation of giant kelp forests.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Correction
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana I. Tavares, Jorge Assis, Patrick D. Larkin, Joel C. Creed, Karine Magalhaes, Paulo Horta, Aschwin Engelen, Noelo Cardoso, Castro Barbosa, Samuel Pontes, Aissa Regalla, Carmen Almada, Rogerio Ferreira, Ba Mamadou Abdoul, Sidina Ebaye, Mohammed Bourweiss, Carmen Van-Dunem dos Santos, Ana R. Patricio, Alexandra Teodosio, Rui Santos, Gareth A. Pearson, Ester A. Serrao
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Indra Monsees, Victoria Turzynski, Sarah P. Esser, Andre Soares, Lara Timmermann, Katrin Weidenbach, Jarno Banas, Michael Kloster, Bank Beszteri, Ruth A. Schmitz, Alexander J. Probst
Summary: Raman microspectroscopy is a promising tool for chemical identification of Gram-positive and Gram-negative virocells undergoing infection with virulent DNA or RNA viruses. This nondestructive, label-free analytical method at single-cell resolution allows for the exploration of complex biology and function of virocells.
