Marine biotechnology in Brazil : recent developments and its potential for innovation

Marine biotechnology is an emerging field in Brazil and includes the exploration of marine microbial products, aquaculture, omics, isolation of biologically active compounds, identification of biosynthetic gene clusters from symbiotic microorganisms, investigation of invertebrate diseases caused by potentially pathogenic marine microbes, and development of antifouling compounds. Furthermore, the field also encompasses description of new biological niches, current threats, preservation strategies as well as its biotechnological potential. Finally, it is important to depict some of the major approaches and tools being employed to such end. To address the challenges of marine biotechnology, the Brazilian government, through the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Communication, has established the National Research Network in Marine Biotechnology (BiotecMar) (www.biotecmar.sage.coppe.ufrj.br). Its main objective is to harness marine biodiversity and develop the marine bioeconomy through innovative research

Diversidade de polissacarídeos sulfatados peculiares em ascidias

BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Heterogeneidade estrutural entre L-galactanas sulfatadas da técnica de diferentes espécies de ascidias

BV UNIFESP: Teses e dissertaçõe

Estudo evolutivo dos padrões de sulfatação de dermatam sulfato em ascídias

Orientador: Mauro Sérgio Gonçalves PavãoMonografia (graduação) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Terra, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Curso de Graduação em OceanografiaDermatam sulfato (DS) è membro da familia de polissacarideos lineares sulfatados, estruturalmente complexos, denominados glicosaminoglicanos. Ele é composto principalmente por [4-a-L-IdoA-13-B-D-GalNAc-1] e [4-a-L-GICA-13-B-D GalNAc-1], e seus derivados com grupos sulfato nas posições C-2 do L-IduA e C-4 e/ou C-6 da D-GalNAc. Dentre os tunicados, a classe Ascidiacea é a maior e mais diversa, sendo seus organismos considerados uma rica fonte de polissacarideos sulfatados. No presente trabalho, dermatam sulfato de duas espécies de ascidias separadas evolutivamente, da ordern Stolidobranchia e Phlebobranchia, foram isolados e caracterizados. A análise dissacaridica de dermatam sulfato mostrou que na espécie mais primitiva, pertencente à ordem Stolidobranchia, Herdmania momus, a maioria das unidades dissacaridicas apresentam sulfatação no carbono 4 da N acetilgalactosamina, enquanto que em espècie mais evoluida, da ordem Phlebobranchia, a Ciona intestinalis, grande parte dos grupos sulfatos estão posicionados no carbono 6 da N-acetilgalactosamina. Resultados similares foram verificados em estudos anteriores, realizados com outras espécies de ascidias pertencentes ás mesmas ordens. Desta forma, sugere-se que o aparecimento de uma sulfotransferase especifica para o carbono 6 da galactosamina, em polimeros de dermatam sulfato, surgiu mais recentemente no processo evolutivo dos glicosaminoglicanos. Palavras chaves: glicosaminoglicanos, dermatam sulfato, ascidias

Bioactive Compounds from Pale Ale Beer Powder Attenuate Experimental Colitis in BALB/c Mice

Phenolic compounds (PCs) present in foods are associated with a decreased risk of developing inflammatory diseases. The aim of this study was to extract and characterize PCs from craft beer powder and evaluate their potential benefits in an experimental model of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). PCs were extracted and quantified from pure beer samples. BALB/c mice received either the beer phenolic extract (BPE) or beer powder fortified with phenolic extract (BPFPE) of PCs daily for 20 days by gavage. Colon samples were collected for histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced mice lost more weight, had reduced colon length, and developed more inflammatory changes compared with DSS-induced mice treated with either BPE or BPFPE. In addition, in DSS-induced mice, the densities of CD4- and CD11b-positive cells, apoptotic rates, and activation of NF-κB and p-ERK1/2 MAPK intracellular signaling pathways were higher in those treated with BPE and BPFPE than in those not treated. Pretreatment with the phenolic extract and BPFPE remarkably attenuated DSS-induced colitis. The protective effect of PCs supports further investigation and development of therapies for human IBD

Vatairea guianensis lectin stimulates changes in gene expression and release of TNF‐α from rat peritoneal macrophages via glycoconjugate binding

Using a rat model of peritonitis, we herein report the inflammatory effect induced by the lectin isolated from Vatairea guianensis (VGL) seeds in the context of interactions between VGL and both toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). Peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with VGL for dose-dependent gene expression and release of TNF-alpha. In vivo results showed that VGL (1 mg/kg; intraperitoneal) induced peritonitis in female Wistar rats. Leukocyte migration, macrophage activation, and protein leakage were measured 3 and 6 hours after induction. In vitro, peritoneal macrophages were stimulated with VGL for gene expression and TNF-alpha dosage (mean +/- SEM (n = 6), analysis of variance, and Bonferroni's test (P < .05)). In silico, VGL structure was applied in molecular docking with representative glycans. It was found that (a) VGL increases vascular permeability and stimulates leukocyte migration, both rolling and adhesion; (b) lectin-induced neutrophil migration occurs via macrophage stimulation, both in vitro and in vivo; (c) lectin interacts with TLR4 and TNFR1; and (d) stimulates TNF-alpha gene expression (RT-PCR) and release from peritoneal macrophages. Thus, upon lectin-glycan binding on the cell surface, our results suggest that VGL induces an acute inflammatory response, in turn activating the release of peritoneal macrophages via TNF-alpha and TLR and/or TNFR receptor pathways

NEOTROPICAL ALIEN MAMMALS: a data set of occurrence and abundance of alien mammals in the Neotropics

Biological invasion is one of the main threats to native biodiversity. For a species to become invasive, it must be voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into a nonnative habitat. Mammals were among first taxa to be introduced worldwide for game, meat, and labor, yet the number of species introduced in the Neotropics remains unknown. In this data set, we make available occurrence and abundance data on mammal species that (1) transposed a geographical barrier and (2) were voluntarily or involuntarily introduced by humans into the Neotropics. Our data set is composed of 73,738 historical and current georeferenced records on alien mammal species of which around 96% correspond to occurrence data on 77 species belonging to eight orders and 26 families. Data cover 26 continental countries in the Neotropics, ranging from Mexico and its frontier regions (southern Florida and coastal-central Florida in the southeast United States) to Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay, and the 13 countries of Caribbean islands. Our data set also includes neotropical species (e.g., Callithrix sp., Myocastor coypus, Nasua nasua) considered alien in particular areas of Neotropics. The most numerous species in terms of records are from Bos sp. (n = 37,782), Sus scrofa (n = 6,730), and Canis familiaris (n = 10,084); 17 species were represented by only one record (e.g., Syncerus caffer, Cervus timorensis, Cervus unicolor, Canis latrans). Primates have the highest number of species in the data set (n = 20 species), partly because of uncertainties regarding taxonomic identification of the genera Callithrix, which includes the species Callithrix aurita, Callithrix flaviceps, Callithrix geoffroyi, Callithrix jacchus, Callithrix kuhlii, Callithrix penicillata, and their hybrids. This unique data set will be a valuable source of information on invasion risk assessments, biodiversity redistribution and conservation-related research. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this data paper when using the data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us on how they are using the data