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Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023Recently, the isolation and identification of various biologically active secondary metabolites from algae have been of scientific interest, with particular attention... (Review)
Review
Recently, the isolation and identification of various biologically active secondary metabolites from algae have been of scientific interest, with particular attention paid to carotenoids, widely distributed in various photosynthetic organisms, including algal species. Carotenoids are among the most important natural pigments, with many health-promoting effects. Since the number of scientific studies on the presence and profile of carotenoids in algae has increased exponentially along with the interest in their potential commercial applications, this review aimed to provide an overview of the current knowledge (from 2015) on carotenoids detected in different algal species (12 microalgae, 21 green algae, 26 brown algae, and 43 red algae) to facilitate the comparison of the results of different studies. In addition to the presence, content, and identification of total and individual carotenoids in various algae, the method of their extraction and the main extraction parameters were also highlighted.
PubMed: 37509860
DOI: 10.3390/foods12142768 -
Frontiers in Plant Science 2023As the most suitable potential clean energy power generation technology, biophotovoltaics (BPV) not only inherits the advantages of traditional photovoltaics, such as... (Review)
Review
As the most suitable potential clean energy power generation technology, biophotovoltaics (BPV) not only inherits the advantages of traditional photovoltaics, such as safety, reliability and no noise, but also solves the disadvantages of high pollution and high energy consumption in the manufacturing process, providing new functions of self-repair and natural degradation. The basic idea of BPV is to collect light energy and generate electric energy by using photosynthetic autotrophs or their parts, and the core is how these biological materials can quickly and low-loss transfer electrons to the anode through mediators after absorbing light energy and generating electrons. In this mini-review, we summarized the biological materials widely used in BPV at present, mainly cyanobacteria, green algae, biological combinations (using multiple microorganisms in the same BPV system) and isolated products (purified thylakoids, chloroplasts, photosystem I, photosystem II), introduced how researchers overcome the shortcomings of low photocurrent output of BPV, pointed out the limitations that affected the development of BPV' biological materials, and put forward reasonable assumptions accordingly.
PubMed: 37615025
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1151131 -
ELife Aug 2023Algae living inside corals provide sugars for their host by digesting their own cell walls.
Algae living inside corals provide sugars for their host by digesting their own cell walls.
Topics: Animals; Nutrients; Anthozoa; Cell Wall
PubMed: 37594170
DOI: 10.7554/eLife.90916 -
Plant Physiology Dec 2023Green algae display a wide range of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that include various types of cell walls (CW), scales, crystalline glycoprotein coverings,... (Review)
Review
Green algae display a wide range of extracellular matrix (ECM) components that include various types of cell walls (CW), scales, crystalline glycoprotein coverings, hydrophobic compounds, and complex gels or mucilage. Recently, new information derived from genomic/transcriptomic screening, advanced biochemical analyses, immunocytochemical studies, and ecophysiology has significantly enhanced and refined our understanding of the green algal ECM. In the later diverging charophyte group of green algae, the CW and other ECM components provide insight into the evolution of plants and the ways the ECM modulates during environmental stress. Chlorophytes produce diverse ECM components, many of which have been exploited for various uses in medicine, food, and biofuel production. This review highlights major advances in ECM studies of green algae.
Topics: Chlorophyta; Polysaccharides; Extracellular Matrix; Plants; Glycoproteins
PubMed: 37399237
DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiad384 -
Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Mar 2024Technology in the meat industry is advancing to create healthier and more sustainable food. Incorporating micro- and macroalgae into meat products presents an exciting... (Review)
Review
Technology in the meat industry is advancing to create healthier and more sustainable food. Incorporating micro- and macroalgae into meat products presents an exciting possibility for the meat sector to develop functional food, given that they serve as excellent natural sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds. This review aims to systematically outline the impact of incorporating whole algae and their extracts into various meat products, examining their effects on quality, physicochemical and functional properties, sensory characteristics, and potential for enhancing shelf life. Adding algae to meat products generally increased pH values, with variations influenced by concentration, type, initial pH, and storage time. The protein content was mainly unaffected, except for Nori and . Algae contributed to lower moisture and higher ash content due to dietary fiber. While including algae improved water-holding capacity and decreased cooking loss, it often led to increased hardness and chewiness. Algae and their extracts influenced color attributes, with variations based on the algae type. Sensory properties were distinctively affected, generally reducing overall acceptability, although Sea tangle at concentrations of 1-3% showed acceptable scores. and Sea tangle positively impacted microbiology during refrigerated storage, while algae and their extracts demonstrated strong antioxidant activity.
PubMed: 38540816
DOI: 10.3390/foods13060826 -
Comparative Cytogenetics 2023It is demonstrated that the initial method of fertilization in animals (Metazoa), embryophyte plants (Embryophyta), most groups of multicellular oogamous algae, oogamous... (Review)
Review
It is demonstrated that the initial method of fertilization in animals (Metazoa), embryophyte plants (Embryophyta), most groups of multicellular oogamous algae, oogamous and pseudoogamous multicellular fungi was internal fertilization (in the broad meaning) in/on the body of a maternal organism. Accordingly, during the bisexual process, the initial method of formation of a daughter multicellular organism in animals was viviparity, and in embryophyte plants and most groups of oogamous multicellular algae - the germination of a zygote in/on the body of maternal organism. The reproductive criteria of multicellularity are proposed and discussed. In this regard, the multicellularity is considered to subdivide terminologically into three variants: 1) protonemal, the most simple, characteristic of multicellular prokaryotes, most groups of multicellular algae and gametophytes of some higher plants; 2) siphonoseptal, found among multicellular fungi, some groups of green and yellow-green algae; 3) embryogenic, most complicated, known in all animals (Metazoa), all sporophytes and some gametophytes of higher plants (Embryophyta), charophyte green algae Charophyceae s.s., oogamous species of green and brown algae, some genera of red algae. In addition to the well-known division of reproduction methods into sexual and asexual, it is proposed to divide the reproduction of multicellular organisms into monocytic (the emergence of a new organism from one cell sexually or asexually) and polycytic (fragmentation, longitudinal / transverse division or budding based on many cells of the body of the mother organism), since these two ways have different evolutionary and ontogenetic origins.
PubMed: 37953852
DOI: 10.3897/compcytogen.17.109671 -
Life (Basel, Switzerland) Aug 2023Diabetes poses a significant global health challenge, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. Natural products and their derivatives have emerged as promising... (Review)
Review
Diabetes poses a significant global health challenge, necessitating innovative therapeutic strategies. Natural products and their derivatives have emerged as promising candidates for diabetes management due to their diverse compositions and pharmacological effects. Algae, in particular, have garnered attention for their potential as a source of bioactive compounds with anti-diabetic properties. This review offers a comprehensive overview of algae-derived natural products for diabetes management, highlighting recent developments and future prospects. It underscores the pivotal role of natural products in diabetes care and delves into the diversity of algae, their bioactive constituents, and underlying mechanisms of efficacy. Noteworthy algal derivatives with substantial potential are briefly elucidated, along with their specific contributions to addressing distinct aspects of diabetes. The challenges and limitations inherent in utilizing algae for therapeutic interventions are examined, accompanied by strategic recommendations for optimizing their effectiveness. By addressing these considerations, this review aims to chart a course for future research in refining algae-based approaches. Leveraging the multifaceted pharmacological activities and chemical components of algae holds significant promise in the pursuit of novel antidiabetic treatments. Through continued research and the fine-tuning of algae-based interventions, the global diabetes burden could be mitigated, ultimately leading to enhanced patient outcomes.
PubMed: 37763235
DOI: 10.3390/life13091831 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023
PubMed: 37614604
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1263955 -
International Journal of Nanomedicine 2023Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Its incidence has been increasing in recent years, and it is becoming a major threat to human health. Conventional... (Review)
Review
Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Its incidence has been increasing in recent years, and it is becoming a major threat to human health. Conventional cancer treatment strategies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, have faced problems such as drug resistance, toxic side effects and unsatisfactory therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, better development and utilization of biomaterials can improve the specificity and efficacy of tumor therapy. Algae, as a novel living material, possesses good biocompatibility. Although some reviews have elucidated several algae-based biomaterials for cancer treatment, the majority of the literature has focused on a limited number of algae. As a result, there is currently a lack of comprehensive reviews on the subject of anticancer algae. This review aims to address this gap by conducting a thorough examination of algal species that show potential for anticancer activity. Furthermore, our review will also elucidate the engineering strategies of algae and discuss the challenges and prospects associated with their implementation.
Topics: Humans; Neoplasms; Biocompatible Materials; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions
PubMed: 37727650
DOI: 10.2147/IJN.S423412