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Obesity is a serious global health problem. Natural substances that could be effective remedies for treatment of obesity, and which are relatively safe, are desired. The aim of this study was to examine the anti-obesity effect and the mechanism of ramalin in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and high fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice. In this study, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with various concentrations of ramalin (1, 5, and 10 μg/ml). Ramalin reduced the accumulation of intracellular lipid droplets in 3T3-L1 cells. In addition, ramalin inhibited 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation by blocking adipogenic gene expression including CCAAT enhancer binding proteins (C/EBPs), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ (PPARγ), adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), and leptin. The suppression of adipogenesis by ramalin was mediated through the inhibition of MAPK pathways. Ramalin also reduced the secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Oral administration of ramalin (50 and 100 mg/kg) to HFD-fed mice reduced body weight gain and abdominal fat accumulation without changes in food intake. Ramalin also attenuated organ weight and basal serum level by inhibiting Iiver X receptors (LXRs), sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c), and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA expression in HFD-fed mice. Taken together, these results indicate that ramalin inhibits adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and prevents HFD-induced obesity. The present study also provides insight into the mechanisms underlying the anti-obesity activity of ramalin and suggests that ramalin has the potential to prevent obesity., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lacinutrix jangbogonensis PAMC 27137(T) is a psychrophilic bacterial strain isolated from the marine sediment of the Ross Sea, Antarctica. Here we present an annotated draft genome sequence of the strain PAMC 27137(T) which showed the narrower range in the growth temperature than other type strains of the genus Lacinutrix. The draft genome of 4,017,559bp with a G+C content of 30.6% comprised 14 scaffolds of 46 contigs containing 3589 protein-coding genes and 46 RNA genes. The function of 2185 (60.1%) proteins was predicted and 1943 (53.4%) proteins were assigned to COG functional categories. Comparative analysis of the draft genome across other type strains may provide clues into the mechanism of growth in narrow temperature range., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Aims: The expression of cell adhesion molecules on vascular smooth muscle cells is central to leukocyte recruitment and progression of atherosclerotic disease. Ohioensin F, a chemical compound of the Antarctic moss Polyerichastrum alpinum, exhibited inhibitory activity against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B and antioxidant activity. However, published scientific information regarding other biological activities and pharmacological function of ohioensin F is scarce. In the present study, we aimed to examine the in vitro effects of ohioensin F on the ability to suppress TNF-α-induced adhesion molecule expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs)., Main Methods: The inhibitory effect of ohioensin F on TNF-α-induced upregulation in expression of adhesion molecules was investigated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cell adhesion assay, RT-PCR, western blot analysis, immunofluorescence, and transfection and reporter assay, respectively., Key Findings: Pretreatment of VSMCs with ohioensin F at nontoxic concentrations of 0.1-10 μg/ml dose-dependently inhibited TNF-α-induced expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). In addition, ohioensin F suppressed adhesion of THP-1 monocytes to TNF-α-stimulated VSMCs. Ohioensin F reduced TNF-α-induced production of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and phosphorylation of p38, ERK, JNK and Akt. Finally, ohioensin F inhibited TNF-α-induced CAM mRNA expression and NK-κB translocation., Significance: These results suggest a new mechanism of ohioensin F's anti-inflammatory action, owing to the negative regulation of TNF-α-induced adhesion molecule expression, monocyte adhesion and ROS production in vascular smooth muscle cells. Our finding also supports ohioensin F as a potential pharmacological, anti-inflammatory molecule that has a protective effect on the atherosclerotic lesion., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Deschampsia antarctica is the only monocot that thrives in the tough conditions of the Antarctic region. It is an invaluable resource for the identification of genes associated with tolerance to various environmental pressures. In order to identify genes that are differentially regulated between greenhouse-grown and Antarctic field-grown plants, we initiated a detailed gene expression analysis. Antarctic plants were collected and greenhouse plants served as controls. Two different cDNA libraries were constructed with these plants. A total of 2,112 cDNA clones was sequenced and grouped into 1,199 unigene clusters consisting of 243 consensus and 956 singleton sequences. Using similarity searches against several public databases, we constructed a functional classification of the ESTs into categories such as genes related to responses to stimuli, as well as photosynthesis and metabolism. Real-time PCR analysis of various stress responsive genes revealed different patterns of regulation in the different environments, suggesting that these genes are involved in responses to specific environmental factors.

A molecular analysis of archaeal communities in eight sponges collected along the coast of Cheju Island, Korea was conducted using terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) in conjunction with sequencing analysis of 16S rDNA clones. The terminal-restriction fragment (T-RF) profiles showed that each sponge had a simple archaeal community represented by a single major peak of the same size except for one unidentified sponge (01CJ20). In order to identify the components of the community, 170 archaeal 16S rDNA clones were recovered from sponges and analyzed by RFLP typing. Sequences of 19 representative clones for all RFLP types found in each sponge were determined and phylogenetic analysis was carried out. Seventeen of these archaeal 16S rDNA clones showed a high similarity to marine group I, belonging to the crenarchaeotes. In the phylogenetic tree, 15 archaeal clones were grouped into five sponge-associated archaeal clusters. In the unidentified sponge sample (01CJ20), one major T-RF peak was represented by a single RFLP type (40 clones), which implied a specific relationship between the sponge and its symbiotic archaeal components.

A marine microalga Gyrodinium impudicum strain KG03 produced sulfated exopolysaccharide designated as p-KG03, which showed a strong antiviral activity against encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). To optimize culture conditions for the production of p-KG03, mineral salts, vitamins, plant growth hormones, temperature, pH and light conditions were examined. From this study, M-KG03 medium for the maximum production of p-KG03 was suggested as follows; NH(4)Cl 75 microM, NaH(3)PO(4) 200 microM, NaHCO(3) 50 microM, Na(2)SO(4) 10 microM, FeCl(2) x 6H(2)O 10 microM, MnCl(2) x 4H(2)O 0.1 microM, vitamin B(12) 0.75 microg, naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) 7.5 microg and myo-inositol 200 mg per liter of aged sea water. The optimal temperature and pH were 22.5 degrees C and 8.0, respectively. The optimal light conditions of intensity and period were 150 microE m(-2) s(-1) and 16:8 h light:dark cycle. Finally, the cell growth and p-KG03 production were measured in one liter of M-KG03 medium with 1% CO(2) and 50 ml min(-1) of airflow using two liters airlift balloon type photobioreactor (ABTPR). At these optimal conditions, p-KG03 production and cell growth were 134.6+/-5.9 mg l(-1) and 123,076+/-1,597 cells ml(-1), respectively, representing a 7.7 and 5.1 times compared with f/2 medium with Erlenmeyer flask culture (p-KG03 production 17.5+/-1.3 mg l(-1) and cell growth 24,311+/-1,291 cells ml(-1)).