• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.379-388
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• 2017

In the present study, we enhanced the phenolic content of 70% ethanol extracts of Spirogyra sp. (SPE, $260.47{\pm}5.21$ gallic acid equivalent $[GAE]mg\;g^{-1}$), 2.97 times to $774.24{\pm}2.61GAE\;mg\;g^{-1}$ in the ethyl acetate fraction of SPE (SPEE). SPEE was evaluated for its antiradical activity in online high-performance liquid chromatography-ABTS analysis, and the peaks with the highest antiradical activities were identified as gallic acid derivatives containing gallic acid, methyl gallate, and ethyl gallate. Isolation of ethyl gallate from Spirogyra sp. was performed for the first time in this study. In ultraviolet B (UVB)-irradiated keratinocytes (HaCaT cells), SPEE improved cell viability by 8.22%, and 23.33% and reduced accumulation of cells in the sub-$G_1$ phase by 20.53%, and 32.11% at the concentrations of 50 and $100{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$, respectively. Furthermore, SPEE (50 and $100{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$) reduced reactive oxygen species generation in UVB-irradiated zebrafish by 66.67% and 77.78%. This study suggests a protective activity of gallic acid and its derivatives from Spirogyra sp. against UVB-induced stress responses in both in vitro and in vivo models, suggesting a potential use of SPEE in photoprotection.

• ALGAE
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.371-378
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• 2013

Water and methanolic extracts of Ecklonia cava, a marine brown alga, were prepared by ultrasonic extraction (UE) and conventional extraction (CE) methods. The radical-scavenging activity and the inhibitory effects against hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-induced DNA damage of the extracts were investigated. All extracts prepared by CE exhibited higher total polyphenolic content than that in the extracts prepared by UE. Extraction yield and total phenolic content increased as the UE time increased. The radical-scavenging activities increased as the UE time increased. All extracts prepared by CE exhibited higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-pricrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and hydroxyl radical-scavenging activities than did those prepared by UE. Extracts prepared by UE showed stronger scavenging activities on alkyl radical and $H_2O_2$ than those prepared by CE did. Methanolic extract with UE 12 h (100MEU-12h) and methanolic extract with CE 24 h (100MEC-24h) were selected and evaluated by comet assay for their inhibitory effect against $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage. 100MEU-12h showed slightly greater protective effect against $H_2O_2$-induced DNA damage than 100MEC-24h. Thus, UE can be effectively used as a seaweed extraction technique, and there is potential for scale-up of the extraction process.

• ALGAE
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.75-84
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• 2022

Intercellular nutrient and signal transduction are essential to sustaining multicellular organisms and maximizing the benefits of multicellularity. It has long been believed that red algal intercellular transport of macromolecules is prevented by the protein-rich pit plug within pit-connections, the only physical connection between cells. Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran and recombinant green fluorescence protein (rGFP) of various molecular sizes were injected into vegetative cells of Griffithsia monilis using a micromanipulator, and intercellular transport of the fluorescent probes was examined. Pit-connections were found to provide intercellular transport of tracers at rates comparable to plasmodesmata in other organisms. The time necessary for the transport to an adjacent cell was dependent on the molecular size and the direction of the transport. Fluorescent dextran of 3 kDa was transported to adjacent cells in 1-2 h after injection and migrated to all cells of the filament within 24 h, but fluorescent dextran of 10-20 kDa took 24 h to transfer to neighboring cells. The migration occurred faster towards adjacent reproductive cells and to apical cells than basally. Fluorescent tracers above 40 kDa and rGFP was not transported to neighboring cells, but accumulated near the pit plug. Our results suggest that pit-connections are conduit for macromolecules between neighboring cells and that these size-specific conduits allow intercellular communication between the vegetative cells of red algae.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.374-384
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• 1999

Benthic marine algal flora and community structure of Yongho-dong area in Pusan, Korea were investigated seasonally in intertidal and subtidal zones by a quadrat method along 5 transect lines from July 1996 to April 1997. In this area, a total of 99 species including 3 blue-green, 13 green, 26 brown and 57 red algae was found. Among them, 33 taxa, together with dominant Ulva pertusa and Corallina pilulifera, occurred throughout the year. Enteromorpha spp. and Ulva spp. vertically distributed in upper and middle zone, while Simphyocladia latiuscula, Chondria crassicaulis, Corallina pilulifera and Sargassum sup. in lower zones. Biomass per unit area exhibited a wide range of variation, from 1,241 g/$m^2$(spring) to 1,648 g/$m^2$(summer) in fresh weight. Maximum and minimum species diversity were recorded in spring and autumn, respectively. Results of the UPGAM cluster analysis suggest that the examined 5 sites can be divided into two groups, sites exposed to open sea (transects 1, 2, 3) and comparatively sheltered sites (transects 4, 5) faced with the Pusan Harbor. The former group is represented by large brown algae, Sargassum and Hizikia, while Ulva pertusa and Lomentaria species are mainly found in the latter group. A calcareous alga, Corallina pilulifera occurred dominantly in both groups throughout the year. In conclusion, number of species in this area was remarkably reduced as compared to the previous data. This result may suggest probably more change of algal vegetation in future, considering the physical and chemical pollutions loaded in the coastal marine environment of this area.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.409-419
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• 2023

Okadaic acid (OA) group toxins, including OA and its analogs, such as dinophysis toxins (DTXs), have been reported to cause diarrheal shellfish poisoning (DSP). These toxins are primarily produced by dinoflagellates and are accumulated in bivalves. Recently, the presence of Dinophysis sp., a causative alga of DSP, has been reported along the coasts of Korea, posing a potential risk of contamination to domestic seafood and exerting an impact on both the production and consumption of marine products. Accordingly, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have established standards for the permissible levels of OA group toxins in marine products for safety management. Additionally, in line with international initiatives, the domestic inclusion and regulation of DTX2 among the substances falling under the purview of management outlined by the 2022 diarrheal shellfish toxin standard have been implemented. In this study, we reviewed the physicochemical properties of OA group toxins, their various exposure routes (such as acute toxicity, genotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity), and the relative toxicity factors associated with these toxins. We also performed a comparative assessment of the methods employed for toxin analysis across different countries. Furthermore, we aimed to conduct a broad review of human exposure cases and assess the international guideline for risk management of OA group toxins.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.449-453
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• 2004

Effect of pre-treatment with hot water extract of marine brown alga Sargassum polycystum C.Ag. (100 mg/kg body wt, orally for period of 15 days) on HCI-ethanol (150 mM of HCI-etha-not mixture containing 0.15 N HCI in $70\%$ v/v ethanol given orally) induced gastric mucosal injury in rats was examined with respect to lipid peroxides, antioxidant enzyme status, acid/pepsin and glycoproteins in the gastric mucosa. The levels of lipid peroxides of gastric mucosa and volume, acidity of the gastric juice were increased with decreased levels of antioxidant enzymes and glycoproteins were observed in HCI-ethanol induced rats. The rats pre-treated with seaweed extract prior to HCI-ethanol induction reversed the depleted levels of antioxidant enzymes and reduced the elevated levels of lipid peroxides when compared with HCI-ethanol induced rats. The levels of glycoproteins and alterations in the gastric juice were also maintained at near normal levels in rats pre-treated with seaweed extract. The rats given seaweed extract alone did not show any toxicity, which was confirmed by histopathological studies. These results suggest that the seaweed extract contains some anti-ulcer agents, which may maintain the volume/acidity of gastric juice and improve the gastric mucosa antioxidant defense system against HCI-ethanol induced gastric mucosal injury in rats.

• ALGAE
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.167-180
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• 2011

The unicellular marine red alga Erythrolobus australicus sp. nov. (Porphyridiophyceae) was isolated into laboratory culture from mangroves in Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. The single multi-lobed red to rose-red plastid has more than one pyrenoid and lacks a peripheral thylakoid. Arrays of small electron dense globules occur along the thylakoids. The nucleus is peripheral with a central to eccentric nucleolus. Each Golgi body is associated with a mitochondrion. The spherical cells are positively phototactic with slow gliding movement. The psaA + psbA phylogeny clearly showed that E. australicus is a distinct species, which is closely related to E. coxiae. The chemotaxonomically relevant and most abundant low molecular weight carbohydrate in E. australicus is floridoside with concentrations between 209 and 231 ${\mu}mol g^{-1}$ dry weight. Traces of digeneaside were also detected. These various approaches help to understand the taxonomic diversity of unicellular red algae.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.281-286
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• 2002

Artificial reefs were set on a sandy bottom substratum at 8m, 10m and 13m depths along the coast in Muronohana, Ikata, Japan. Succession of seaweed communities was observed monthly or bimonthly from February 1999 to August 2000 on artificial reefs. Within one month, the diatom colonized on the reefs with coverage of $100\%$. After three months, Enteromorpha intestinalis and Colpomenia sinuosa dominated on the reef in the spring. Seaweed flora decreased during the summer and the dominant species were several species of Melobesioidea. In the winter, the seaweeds grew up again and the dominant species on the each reef were Sargassum spp., Ecklonia kurome and Padina arborescens after one year. The dominant species in the algal succession process changed from diatoms to the perennial seaweeds such as Sargassum spp., E. kurome and P. arborescens. Thus, the pattern of succession of the dominant species and the degree of domination were changed by the season, water depth and the recruitment of spores and eggs from the mature alga around the reefs.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.303-312
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• 2015

The intimate physical interaction between food algae and sacoglossan sea slug is a pertinent system to test the theory that “you are what you eat.” Some sacoglossan mollusks ingest and maintain chloroplasts that they acquire from the algae for photosynthesis. The basis of photosynthesis maintenance in these sea slugs was often explained by extensive horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from the food algae to the animal nucleus. Two large-scale expressed sequence tags databases of the green alga Bryopsis plumosa and sea slug Placida dendritica were established using 454 pyrosequencing. Comparison of the transcriptomes showed no possible case of putative HGT, except an actin gene from P. dendritica, designated as PdActin04, which showed 98.9% identity in DNA sequence with the complementary gene from B. plumosa, BpActin03. Highly conserved homologues of this actin gene were found from related green algae, but not in other photosynthetic sea slugs. Phylogenetic analysis showed incongruence between the gene and known organismal phylogenies of the two species. Our data suggest that HGT is not the primary reason underlying the maintenance of short-term kleptoplastidy in Placida dendritica.

• ALGAE
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2012

A novel lectin specific to N-acetyl-D-galactosamine as well as N-acetyl-D-glucosamine was isolated from Bryopsis plumosa and named as BPL-4. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophorese (SDS-PAGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption / ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry data showed that this lectin was a monomeric protein with molecular weight 12.9 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the lectin were determined by Edman degradation and the full cDNA sequence encoding this lectin was obtained using the degenerate primers designed from the amino acid sequence. The size of the cDNA was 414 bp containing single open reading frame (ORF) encoding the lectin precursor. The homology analysis showed that this lectin might belong to H lectin group. BPL-4 showed high sequence similarity (60.6%) to BPL-3, which is a previously reported lectin from the same species. The comparative analysis on the lectin's primary structure showed two conserved domains including one possible active domain of H lectin group.