Article
Plant Sciences
Yola Metti
Summary: This study found that L. rigida belongs to the genus Palisada based on morphological and molecular analysis, thus proposing a name change. It also suggested elevating L. heteroclada f. decussata to a species level and naming it L. decussata.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sonia P. o Miguel, Jorge Loureiro, Maximiano P. Ribeiro, Paula Coutinho
Summary: The polysaccharides extracted from Osmundea sp. were used to produce nanoparticles through the flash nanocomplexation technique. These nanoparticles exhibited small hydrodynamic diameter, narrow size distribution, and good stability. The incorporation of diclofenac resulted in targeted and sustained release, making them suitable for treating inflammatory skin diseases.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Margarida Faustino, Daniela Machado, Dina Rodrigues, Jose Carlos Andrade, Ana Cristina Freitas, Ana Maria Gomes
Summary: This study developed a cheese spread incorporating red seaweed Osmundea pinnatifida extract and characterized its nutritional, pH, and microbiological parameters, as well as its prebiotic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and antioxidant activities. The results showed that this cheese spread had stable pH, no microbial contamination, and exhibited all tested bioactivities at both 0 and 21 days. Therefore, it can be considered as an innovative food with the potential to improve the health and well-being of populations.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jeffery R. Hughey, Kathy Ann Miller
Summary: The taxonomic status of Osmundea species in Pacific North America was analyzed by comparing genetic markers and organellar genomes, revealing two distinct clades corresponding to O. sinicola and O. crispa, supporting the recognition of two species. This study highlights the misidentification of specimens previously labeled as O. sinicola, which actually belong to O. crispa. Further analysis of type material from the Rhodomelaceae is needed for better understanding the phylogenetic relationships within this group.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Cecilia Biancacci, G. J. McDougall, J. G. Day, M. S. Stanley
Summary: This study investigates the cultivation of O. pinnatifida in the Algem(R) photo bioreactor system and its effect on the antioxidant content of the biomass. The results show that cultivating the biomass in the PBR leads to a significant increase in antioxidant content, which can be further improved by increasing photoperiod, light intensity, and manipulating the wavelength.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Sara Garcia-Davis, Atteneri Lopez-Arencibia, Carlos J. Bethencourt-Estrella, Desiree San Nicolas-Hernandez, Ezequiel Viveros-Valdez, Ana R. Diaz-Marrero, Jose J. Fernandez, Jacob Lorenzo-Morales, Jose E. Pinero
Summary: In this study, it was found that five compounds isolated from the red alga Laurencia johnstonii exhibited leishmanicidal activity. Among them, laurequinone showed the strongest activity and was capable of inducing programmed cell death or apoptosis in the parasite. These findings highlight the potential of laurequinone as a novel therapeutic agent against kinetoplastid parasites.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Hamid Eshaghzadeh, Maryam Shahbazi, Sobhan Rana Akhavan, Leonel Pereira
Summary: This study compares different purification methods for extracting R-PE from Caspian Sea red macroalga. Response surface methodology was used to optimize the preliminary purification conditions and obtain the highest purity and concentration of R-PE. The effects of different treatments on R-PE purity and recovery yield were also evaluated, with PECE + AC + IE method showing the highest purity and recovery yield.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
C. Biancacci, G. J. McDougall, J. W. Allwood, J. G. Day, K. Davidson, M. S. Stanley
Summary: The study analyzed the compositional profile of Osmundea pinnatifida biomass collected in different seasons, finding that the abundance of metabolites varied with the taste changes.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Maria Harizani, Dafni-Ioanna Diakaki, Stamatios Perdikaris, Vassilios Roussis, Efstathia Ioannou
Summary: The chemical diversity and biological activities of Laurencia red algae have attracted the attention of marine chemists for over 60 years. Through chemical investigation, 32 secondary metabolites were isolated from Laurencia microcladia and Laurencia obtusa, including six new C-15 acetogenins. The antibacterial activity of these compounds was evaluated.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
C. Biancacci, R. Abell, G. J. McDougall, J. G. Day, M. S. Stanley
Summary: This research investigates the variation in proximate composition, metal content, antioxidant activity, pigment content, and C:N ratio of Osmundea pinnatifida (Pepper Dulse) over a 12-month period. The results show that the nutritional profile and antioxidant content of Pepper Dulse vary across seasons, with high levels of carbohydrates observed in summer and higher antioxidant content in summer months compared to autumn/winter. The study also reveals that the levels of heavy metals in this species are low and do not pose a concern for consumption. These findings are crucial for predicting and planning the harvest and management of Pepper Dulse biomass.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Tayebeh Entezari, Mandana Zarei, Ahmad Azari
Summary: In this study, carrageenan was extracted from Laurencia obtusa using a molecular barcoding method and the rheological properties of semi-refined carrageenans were determined. The optimized treatment resulted in increased viscosity, with the dialysis method showing the highest efficiency. The refined carrageenans from L. obtusa were found to be of the iota type based on rheometric analysis.
INDIAN JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Inigo Arberas-Jimenez, Nathalia Nocchi, Javier Chao-Pellicer, Ines Sifaoui, Angelica Ribeiro Soares, Ana R. R. Diaz-Marrero, Jose J. Fernandez, Jose E. Pinero, Jacob Lorenzo-Morales
Summary: This study aimed to identify new anti-Naegleria marine natural products from a collection of chamigrane-type sesquiterpenes with structural variety, and (+)-Elatol was found to be the most effective compound against Naegleria fowleri.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Somayeh Eghrari Gayglou, Vida Tafakori, Mohammad Ali Zahed, Atefeh Khamoushi
Summary: This study assessed the effects of myo-inositol treatment on biomass and lipid production, gene expression, and lipid content in Chlorella vulgaris. The results showed that increasing the myo-inositol supplement increased biomass production, while the 200 mg/L concentration was critical for lipid production. Gene expression analysis revealed that the rbcL gene expression increased in relation to biomass production, and the accD expression increased at 200 mg/L myo-inositol concentration. These findings provide valuable insights for biomass and lipid production strategies.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Joel H. Nitta, Eric Schuettpelz, Santiago Ramirez-Barahona, Wataru Iwasaki
Summary: This study introduces an automated pipeline for creating a continuously updated fern tree of life (FTOL) using DNA sequence data from GenBank. The pipeline combines whole plastomes and commonly sequenced plastid regions to obtain a high-resolution global fern phylogeny. By resolving synonyms using a curated reference taxonomy, the FTOL includes about 40% more species than previous global fern phylogenies. The FTOL and its associated datasets are available through a web portal and R packages, providing immediate access to the most up-to-date and comprehensive fern phylogeny.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Francesca Macedonio, Mirko Frappa, Francesca Alessandro, Enrico Drioli
Summary: In this study, RbCl crystals were obtained through vacuum membrane crystallization. The experiments were conducted using two different membrane materials, polypropylene (PP) and poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). It was found that good crystals were achieved with the PP membrane, while wetting prevented the formation of RbCl crystals with the PVDF membrane. The success or failure of the membrane crystallization operation is determined by the membrane material in addition to the operating conditions.
Review
Ecology
Laura Airoldi, Michael W. Beck, Louise B. Firth, Ana B. Bugnot, Peter D. Steinberg, Katherine A. Dafforn
Summary: Research highlights the impact of urban and periurban ocean developments on 1.5% of the global exclusive economic zones, emphasizing the need for better design, management, and conservation of urban ocean spaces, including reducing urban pressures, protecting and restoring ocean ecosystems, and supporting critical ecosystem services. Additionally, exploring new economic instruments and incentives to support these new approaches is crucial for achieving these sustainable objectives.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL 13, 2021
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Elisabeth M. A. Strain, Peter D. Steinberg, Maria Vozzo, Emma L. Johnston, Marco Abbiati, Moises A. Aguilera, Laura Airoldi, J. David Aguirre, Gail Ashton, Maritina Bernardi, Paul Brooks, Benny K. K. Chan, Chee B. Cheah, Su Yin Chee, Ricardo Coutinho, Tasman Crowe, Adam Davey, Louise B. Firth, Clarissa Fraser, Mick E. Hanley, Stephen J. Hawkins, Kathleen E. Knick, Edward T. C. Lau, Kenneth M. Y. Leung, Connor McKenzie, Catriona Macleod, Sandisiwe Mafanya, Francesco P. Mancuso, Luciana V. R. Messano, Lais P. D. Naval-Xavier, Terrence P. T. Ng, Kathryn A. O'Shaughnessy, Paula Pattrick, Mathew J. Perkins, Shimrit Perkol-Finkel, Francesca Porri, Donald J. Ross, Gregory Ruiz, Ido Sella, Rochelle Seitz, Raviv Shirazi, Martin Thiel, Richard C. Thompson, Jean C. Yee, Chela Zabin, Melanie J. Bishop
Summary: Through a manipulative experiment conducted at 27 sites within 14 estuaries/bays globally, the researchers found that the effects of complexity on intertidal biodiversity varied spatially and among functional groups. The results challenge the assumption that the effects of complexity on biodiversity are universally positive, and have implications for community ecology and applied ecology.
GLOBAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Review
Ecology
Caragh G. Threlfall, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Alessandro Ossola, Ana B. Bugnot, Melanie J. Bishop, Elizabeth C. Lowe, Sam J. Imberger, Shona Myers, Peter D. Steinberg, Katherine A. Dafforn
Summary: Urbanization and its environmental stressors are often managed separately in different realms, but overlooking the connectivity between realms can lead to unintended negative outcomes. Successful cross-realm management requires considering connectivity, scale, and ecological processes, and implementing an integrated collaborative approach to achieve multiple benefits.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shannen M. Smith, Hamish A. Malcolm, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Arthur L. Schultz, Peter D. Steinberg, Adriana Verges
Summary: Climate-mediated species redistributions are causing novel interactions and regime shifts globally. Expansion of tropical species in temperate marine reefs, known as 'tropicalization', can lead to changes in fish communities. However, a study found that despite kelp loss, fish diversity and abundance increased over a 17-year period.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Georgina Wood, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Alexandra H. Campbell, Peter D. Steinberg, Adriana Verges, Melinda A. Coleman
Summary: Research on a dominant forest-forming seaweed, Phyllospora comosa, revealed high genetic connectivity in its central range but lower genetic diversity in edge populations, suggesting potential challenges for adaptability. Predictions indicate that edge populations may harbor beneficial adaptations to marginal conditions, but overall adaptability of the species could be compromised by their loss.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Weizhi Song, Bernd Wemheuer, Peter D. Steinberg, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Torsten Thomas
Summary: Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays an important role in microbial evolution and adaptation, especially in biofilm communities. In the biofilm of the common kelp Ecklonia radiata, HGT mainly involves bacteria within the same class or order, transferring genes related to nutrient transport, sugar degradation, phlorotannin degradation, and stress responses. The study suggests that HGT in this system may not be driven by mobile gene elements, but by unspecific DNA uptake.
Article
Environmental Sciences
M. L. Vozzo, M. Mayer-Pinto, M. J. Bishop, V. R. Cumbo, A. B. Bugnot, K. A. Dafforn, E. L. Johnston, P. D. Steinberg, E. M. A. Strain
Summary: The study suggests that adding complexity to marine artificial structures can enhance both particle removal rates and support a greater abundance of suspension feeding taxa, thereby increasing biodiversity. The effect of seeding on structures with complex habitat was weaker, but no negative ecological trade-offs were found between increased particle removal rates and diversity and abundance of key functional groups.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Annachiara Codello, Sandra L. McLellan, Peter Steinberg, Jaimie Potts, Peter Scanes, Angus Ferguson, Grant C. Hose, Merran Griffith, Adelaide Roguet, Keri A. Lydon, William A. Maher, Frank Krikowa, Anthony Chariton
Summary: The Hawkesbury-Nepean River, the largest catchment in the Sydney region, is facing unprecedented population growth, leading to various anthropogenic inputs such as treated sewage, stormwater, and agricultural runoff. Despite no gradient of faecal contamination along the river system, two sites with evidence of untreated sewage contamination were identified, originating possibly from industrial runoff and a dry weather sewage leak. This study demonstrates the potential of a weight-of-evidence approach in identifying small sources of contamination and reshaping monitoring strategies for assessing the health of aquatic systems.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Amanda K. Pettersen, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Peter D. Steinberg, Melinda A. Coleman
Summary: The study evaluated the effectiveness of MPAs in preserving fish zeta diversity in Batemans Marine Park, Australia. Results showed that MPAs had a greater stability in fish species turnover compared to partially protected and unprotected areas, with significantly shallower decline in zeta diversity and higher retention of harvested species. The protective effects of MPAs were observable within 4 years of implementation, while partial protection showed little improvement in stability compared to unprotected areas.
CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Georgina Wood, Peter D. Steinberg, Alexandra H. Campbell, Adriana Verges, Melinda A. Coleman, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli
Summary: Interactions between hosts and their microbiota are important for the functioning and resilience of macro-organisms. This study investigated the influence of host traits and the environment on microbial communities associated with the seaweed Phyllospora comosa. The results showed that both host traits and the local environment play a significant role in shaping the associated microbial community structure. Key genetic loci and phenotypic traits were identified, providing valuable insights into the relationship between the host and its microbiota. These findings enhance our understanding of holobiont structure and can inform management strategies for important and vulnerable habitats.
Article
Microbiology
Simone C. Birrer, Franziska Wemheuer, Katherine A. Dafforn, Paul E. Gribben, Peter D. Steinberg, Stuart L. Simpson, Jaimie Potts, Peter Scanes, Martina A. Doblin, Emma L. Johnston
Summary: Coastal systems such as estuaries are facing threats from multiple anthropogenic stressors worldwide, yet the relationship between these stressors, estuarine hydrology, and benthic bacterial communities remains poorly understood. This study in Sydney Harbour, Australia, found that sediment bacterial communities varied significantly in response to proximity to storm drains, with differences in gene expression patterns indicating potential tolerance to localised anthropogenic stressors. Overall, the research sheds light on changes in the composition and functioning of benthic bacterial communities in different hydrological conditions under the influence of various human pressures.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Aaron M. Eger, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Hartvig Christie, Camilla W. Fagerli, Daisuke Fujita, Alejandra P. Gonzalez, Seok Woo Hong, Jeong Ha Kim, Lynn C. Lee, Tristin Anoush McHugh, Gregory N. Nishihara, Masayuki Tatsumi, Peter D. Steinberg, Adriana Verges
Summary: Kelp forest ecosystems and their associated ecosystem services are declining worldwide, prompting marine managers to work on restoration efforts. Restoration of kelp forests started in Japan in the 18th century and has since spread globally with varying methodologies. Projects located near existing kelp forests have shown higher success rates, while high costs for restoration remain a common challenge.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Erin McCosker, Rick D. Stuart-Smith, Graham J. Edgar, Peter D. Steinberg, Adriana Verges
Summary: Temperate marine systems globally are warming at accelerating rates, facilitating the poleward movement of warm-water species, which are tropicalizing higher-latitude reefs. While temperature plays a key role in structuring species distributions, less is known about how species' early life stages are responding to warming-induced changes in preferred nursery habitat availability. We aim to identify key ecological and environmental drivers of juvenile reef fishes' distributions in the context of ocean warming.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Sebastian Vadillo Gonzalez, Graeme F. Clark, Emma L. Johnston, Chris S. M. Turney, Christopher J. Fogwill, Peter D. Steinberg, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli
Summary: Antarctic sea-ice forms a complex and dynamic system that influences ecological processes in the Southern Ocean. Sea-ice microalgae and their microbial communities play a crucial role in nutrient flow and allocation. However, our understanding of small-scale variation in these communities is limited. This study focused on characterizing bacterial communities associated with sea-ice microalgae and identifying potential drivers of variation across different spatial scales in a previously understudied area in East Antarctica.
Article
Microbiology
Charlie M. Phelps, Kathryn McMahon, Andrew Bissett, Rachele Bernasconi, Peter D. Steinberg, Torsten Thomas, Ezequiel M. Marzinelli, Megan J. Huggett
Summary: The study found differences in kelp bacterial communities between different geographic regions, but within each region and over time, the bacterial communities were relatively stable.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2021)
