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Marine Microalgae: Promising Source for New Bioactive Compounds

Authors :
Caterina R. de Vera
Guillermo Díaz Crespín
Antonio Hernández Daranas
Sofia Montalvão Looga
Katja-Emilia Lillsunde
Päivi Tammela
Merja Perälä
Vesa Hongisto
Johannes Virtanen
Heiko Rischer
Christian D. Muller
Manuel Norte
José J. Fernández
María L. Souto
Source :
Marine Drugs, Vol 16, Iss 9, p 317 (2018)
Publication Year :
2018
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2018.

Abstract

The study of marine natural products for their bioactive potential has gained strength in recent years. Oceans harbor a vast variety of organisms that offer a biological and chemical diversity with metabolic abilities unrivalled in terrestrial systems, which makes them an attractive target for bioprospecting as an almost untapped resource of biotechnological applications. Among them, there is no doubt that microalgae could become genuine “cell factories” for the biological synthesis of bioactive substances. Thus, in the course of inter-laboratory collaboration sponsored by the European Union (7th FP) into the MAREX Project focused on the discovery of novel bioactive compounds of marine origin for the European industry, a bioprospecting study on 33 microalgae strains was carried out. The strains were cultured at laboratory scale. Two extracts were prepared for each one (biomass and cell free culture medium) and, thus, screened to provide information on the antimicrobial, the anti-proliferative, and the apoptotic potential of the studied extracts. The outcome of this study provides additional scientific data for the selection of Alexandrium tamarensis WE, Gambierdiscus australes, Prorocentrum arenarium, Prorocentrum hoffmannianum, and Prorocentrum reticulatum (Pr-3) for further investigation and offers support for the continued research of new potential drugs for human therapeutics from cultured microalgae.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16603397
Volume :
16
Issue :
9
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Marine Drugs
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.3879d0157ae417ebc3158d1690128cd
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/md16090317