Valoración de la efectividad antiincrustante de recubrimientos aplicados a embarcaciones que operan en la Bahía de Cartagena

A method to evaluate the performance was developed in this study, according to the antifouling and anticorrosive efficiency, of 6 commercial antifouling systems in the plants of Mamonal and Bocagrande in the Bay of Cartagena. The general performance of the coatings was determined through the qualification of the resistance to the biofouling and the integrity of the antifouling and of the anticorrosive film. Additionally, a follow-up of the microbiologic and photochemical parameters were carried out of the marine media in the area of exposition, according to which both zones of study presented favorable conditions for the development of organisms with high percentages of fouling coating on control coupons. In the Plant of Mamonal, the systems showed a better antifouling efficiency regarding the Plant of Bocagrande. According to the type of coating, the auto-po lishing presented a better performance compared to the soluble and insoluble type matrix coating.En este estudio se desarrolló una metodología para evaluar el desempeño, según la eficiencia antiincrustante y anticorrosiva, de seis sistemas antifouling comerciales en las plantas industriales de Mamonal y Bocagrande en la Bahía de Cartagena. El desempeño general de los recubrimientos fue determinado mediante la calificación de la resistencia al biofouling y la integridad del antifouling y de la película anticorrosiva. Adicionalmente se realizó un seguimiento de los parámetros microbiológicos y fisicoquímicos del medio marino en el área de exposición, según los cuales las dos zonas de estudio presentaron condiciones favorables para el desarrollo de los organismos con elevados porcentajes de cobertura de fouling sobre cupones control. En la Planta de Mamonal, los sistemas mostraron una mejor eficiencia antiincrustante respecto a la de Bocagrande. De acuerdo con el tipo de recubrimiento, el autopulimentable presentó un mejor desempeño frente a recubrimientos tipo matriz soluble e insoluble

Estudio químico y evaluación de la actividad antifouling del octocoral caribeño Eunicea laciniata

The bioassay guided purification of the octocoral Eunicea laciniata organic extract, collected at Santa Marta bay, Colombia, allowed the isolation of the new compound (-)-3β-pregna-5,20-dienyl-β-D-arabinopyranoside (1), along with the known compounds 1(S*),11(R*)-dolabell-3(E),7(E),12(18)-triene (2), 13-keto-1(S),11(R)-dolabell-3(E ),7(E),12(18)-triene (3), cholest- 5,22-dien-3β-ol (4), cholesterol (5), y brassicasterol (6). The structure and absolute configuration of 1 was determined on based spectroscopic analyses (NMR and CD). The extract showed antifouling activity against five strains of marine bacteria associated to heavy fouled surfaces. Also showed activity against the cypris of the cosmopolitan barnacle Balanus amphitrite, and low toxicity in Artemia salina test

Dolabellane diterpenes from the Caribbean soft corals Eunicea laciniata and Eunicea asperula and determination of their anti HSV-1 activity

Dolabellane diterpenes have considerable antiviral activity, most studies have been focused towards compounds isolated from Dictyota brown algae. Although soft corals are also a significant source of these diterpenes, their antiviral potential has not been studied in detail. With the aim of assessing the biological activity of marine sources, we evaluated the dolabellane content in the soft corals Eunicea laciniata and E. asperula collected in Santa Marta, Colombian Caribbean. Dolabellanes 1-6 were isolated from E. laciniata while compounds 2, 4 and 5 were isolated from E. asperula. All compounds were identified by NMR, GC-EIMS, optical rotation and comparison with previously reported dolabellanes. GC-EIMS analyses showed that dolabellatrienone (2) transforms into compounds 4 and 5 as oxidation products upon prolonged storage; however, those compounds were also naturally present in the extract of the studied organisms. Pure dolabellanes were tested in vitro in antiviral assays against HSV-1. Compound 6 inhibited virus replication in infected cells (73.7% of inhibition at 50 μM) without cytotoxic effect (CC50 = 959), showing similar activity to the positive control Acyclovir®. Thus, compound 6 is an interesting candidate for further studies of dolabellanes as antivirals.Los dolabellanos son diterpenos con importante actividad antiviral, la mayor parte de los estudios se han realizado con compuestos aislados de algas pardas del género Dictyota. Los corales blandos son también una importante fuente de dolabellanos, pero el potencial antiviral de éstos ha sido muy poco estudiado. Como parte de nuestra búsqueda de compuestos bioactivos a partir de fuentes marinas, se llevó a cabo el estudio químico de los dolabellanos presentes en los octocorales Eunicea laciniata y Eunicea asperula, recolectados en Santa Marta, Caribe colombiano. Los dolabellanos 1-6 fueron aislados del octocoral E. laciniata mientras que en E. asperula se encontraron los compuestos 2, 4 y 5. La elucidación estructural se llevó a cabo mediante experimentos de RMN, espectrometría de masas, rotación óptica y posterior comparación con reportes previos en la literatura. El análisis por CG-EM evidenció que la dolabellatrienona (2) se puede transformar en los compuestos 4 y 5 como producto del almacenamiento prolongado, no obstante, tales compuestos también estuvieron presentes en los extractos de los organismos estudiados. El compuesto 6 inhibió la replicación del VHS-1 (73,7% de inhibición en células infectadas a una concentración de 50 μM) sin efecto citotóxico (CC50 = 959), mostrando una citotoxicidad similar al Aciclovir®, un control positivo, por lo cual se perfila como un candidato para la realización de estudios adicionales sobre el potencial de los dolabellanos como agentes antivirales

New Diterpenes Isolated from the Colombian Caribbean Soft Coral Pseudoplexaura flagellosa and Their Cytotoxic Properties

11 páginasStudies about secondary metabolites isolated from soft corals around the world have proven the potential of these organism as producers of compounds with a potent cytotoxic activity. In this work, we obtained the extract of Pseudoplexaura flagellosa collected in Santa Marta, Colombia, the cytotoxic activity of this extract, fractions and compounds was established against SiHa (ATCC® HTB-35™), MDA-MB-231 (ATCC® HTB26™), A549 (ATCC® CRM-CCL-185™), PC3 (ATCC® CRL1435), and L929 (ATCC® CCL1™) cell lines. The results showed that the extract of soft coral P. flagellosa has cytotoxic activity with an IC50 of 35.4, 72.3, 49.8 and 40.5 μg/mL against SiHa, A549, PC3 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, respectively. Thus, this extract was repeatedly subjected to different chromatographic columns and final purification of these fractions afforded pure compounds 1 – 4, which were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR experiments including 1H, 13C, COSY, HSQC, HMBC and NOESY, and HRESIMS. In addition, Mosher method was used to establish the stereochemistry of compound 2 and chemical interconversion allow establishing the stereochemistry of compound 1. These results let to conclude that compound 2 is a new stereoisomers of acetylated asperdiol previously reported on literature. Additionally, three analogues 5, 6, and 7 were synthesized from compound 1 and the cytotoxic activity of all compounds was evaluated using doxorubicin as positive control. The results showed that 6 (IC50 of 19.3, 23.7, 13.4 and 18.7 μg/mL against SiHa, A549, PC3 and MDA-MB-231, respectively) was the most active compound against all the cancer cell lines

Spatial scale of cyanobacterial blooms in Old Providence Island, Colombian Caribbean

The frequency and expansion of cyanobacterial blooms have increased in coastal waters worldwide. These may be facilitated by excessive nutrient input and global warming, exerting negative consequences in marine ecosystems, communities and habitats. Although reports of cyanobacterial blooms are frequent, their causes, consequences and spatial extent are not completely understood, hence restricting regional management actions. From 2009 to 2012 we examined the spatial extent of cyanobacterial blooms in the reef systems off Providencia Island, Colombia. We also identified the main taxa involved in those blooms and evaluated bloom cover within substrate types. Blooms of benthic cyanobacteria consisted of complex microbial consortia belonging to the genera Okeania, Lyngbya, Symploca, Phormidium, Oscillatoria or Spirulina. Cyanobacteria were present in different ecosystems, geomorphological zones and substrate types, particularly at the northwest, east and southeast portions of the island. The soft bottoms, sea grasses and reef ecosystems around Providencia Island are subject to cyanobacterial blooms of varying intensity. There is a strong need to further study the frequency, scale and duration of these events to understand their impact on an ecosystem basis and on the services these provide

Comparative Analyses of Metabolomic Fingerprints and Cytotoxic Activities of Soft Corals from the Colombian Caribbean

14 páginasSoft corals (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Octocorallia) are a diverse group of marine invertebrates that inhabit various marine environments in tropical and subtropical areas. Several species are recognized as prolific sources of compounds with a wide array of biological activities. Recent advances in analytical techniques, supported by robust statistical analyses, have allowed the analysis and characterization of the metabolome present in a single living organism. In this study, a liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry metabolomic approach was applied to analyze the metabolite composition of 28 soft corals present in the Caribbean coast of Colombia. Multivariate data analysis was used to correlate the chemical fingerprints of soft corals with their cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines for anticancer purpose. Some diterpenoids were identified as specific markers to discriminate between cytotoxic and non-cytotoxic crude extracts of soft corals against tumor cell lines. In the models generated from the comparative analysis of PLS-DA for tumor lines, A549 and SiHa, the diterpene 13-keto-1,11-dolabell-3(E),7(E),12(18)-triene yielded a high score in the variable importance in projection. These results highlight the potential of metabolomic approaches towards the identification of cytotoxic agents against cancer of marine origin. This workflow can be useful in several studies, mainly those that are time consuming, such as traditional bioprospecting of marine natural products

Spatial scale of cyanobacterial blooms in Old Providence Island, Colombian Caribbean

The frequency and expansion of cyanobacterial blooms have increased in coastal waters worldwide. These may be facilitated by excessive nutrient input and global warming, exerting negative consequences in marine ecosystems, communities and habitats. Although reports of cyanobacterial blooms are frequent, their causes, consequences and spatial extent are not completely understood, hence restricting regional management actions. From 2009 to 2012 we examined the spatial extent of cyanobacterial blooms in the reef systems off Providencia Island, Colombia. We also identified the main taxa involved in those blooms and evaluated bloom cover within substrate types. Blooms of benthic cyanobacteria consisted of complex microbial consortia belonging to the genera Okeania, Lyngbya, Symploca, Phormidium, Oscillatoria or Spirulina. Cyanobacteria were present in different ecosystems, geomorphological zones and substrate types, particularly at the northwest, east and southeast portions of the island. The soft bottoms, sea grasses and reef ecosystems around Providencia Island are subject to cyanobacterial blooms of varying intensity. There is a strong need to further study the frequency, scale and duration of these events to understand their impact on an ecosystem basis and on the services these provide

Praderas marinas, un nuevo hábitat no reportado para el molusco heterobranquio Umbraculum umbraculum en la región del Caribe

Herein, a new habitat for the heterobranch mollusk Umbraculum is described. One specimen was found on a Thalassia testudinum bed at Taganga Bay at 3 m depth, a buffer area of the Tayrona National Park, Colombian Caribbean. To the best of our knowledge, these mollusks have not been previously reported in this kind of habitat. Seagrasses may provide protection and possibly serve as areas for its reproduction.Se describe el registro de un nuevo hábitat para el molusco heterobranquio Umbraculum. Se encontró un espécimen en un lecho de Thalassia testudinum en la Bahía Taganga a 3 m de profundidad, un área de amortiguamiento del Parque Nacional Tayrona, Caribe colombiano. Hasta donde sabemos, estos moluscos no han sido reportados previamente en este tipo de hábitat. Las praderas marinas pueden proporcionar protección y posiblemente servir como áreas para su reproducción

Estudio metabolómico de corales blandos del Caribe colombiano: análisis comparativo PSYCHE y 1H-NMR

11 páginasMarine organisms have evolved to survive against predators in complex marine ecosystems via the production of chemical compounds. Soft corals (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Octocorallia) are an important source of chemically diverse metabolites with a broad spectrum of biological activities. Herein, we perform a comparative study between high-resolution proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) and pure shift yielded by chirp excitation (PSYCHE) experiments to analyze the metabolic profile of 24 soft corals from the Colombian Caribbean to correlate chemical fingerprints with their cytotoxic activity against three cancer cell lines (human cervical carcinoma (SiHa), human prostatic carcinoma (PC3) and human lung adenocarcinoma (A549)). All data obtained were explored using multivariate analysis using principal components analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares (OPLS) analysis. The results did not show a significant correlation between clusters using 1H-NMR data in the PCA and OPLS-DA models and therefore did not provide conclusive evidence; on the other hand, a metabolomic analysis of PSYCHE data obtained under the same parameters revealed that when a decoupled experiment is performed, it was possible to establish a statistically valid correlation between the chemical composition of soft corals and their cytotoxic activity against the PC3 cancer cell line, where the asperdiol and plexaurolone markers were putatively identified and related to the cytotoxic activity presented by extracts of Plexaurella sp. and Plexaura kukenthali, respectively. These results increase the speed, effectiveness and reliability of analyses for the study of this type of complex matrices.Los organismos marinos han evolucionado para sobrevivir contra los depredadores en ecosistemas marinos complejos a través de la producción de compuestos químicos. Los corales blandos (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Octocorallia) son una fuente importante de metabolitos químicamente diversos con un amplio espectro de actividades biológicas. En este documento, realizamos un estudio comparativo entre la resonancia magnética nuclear de protones de alta resolución (1H-NMR) y el cambio puro producido por experimentos de excitación chirp (PSYCHE) para analizar el perfil metabólico de 24 corales blandos del Caribe colombiano para correlacionar huellas químicas con su actividad citotóxica contra tres líneas celulares de cáncer (carcinoma cervical humano (SiHa), carcinoma prostático humano (PC3) y adenocarcinoma de pulmón humano (A549)). Todos los datos obtenidos se exploraron mediante análisis multivariado mediante análisis de componentes principales (PCA) y análisis de mínimos cuadrados parciales ortogonales (OPLS). Los resultados no mostraron una correlación significativa entre los grupos utilizando datos de 1H-NMR en los modelos PCA y OPLS-DA y, por lo tanto, no proporcionaron evidencia concluyente; por otro lado, un análisis metabolómico de los datos de PSYCHE obtenidos bajo los mismos parámetros reveló que cuando se realiza un experimento desacoplado, fue posible establecer una correlación estadísticamente válida entre la composición química de los corales blandos y su actividad citotóxica contra la célula cancerosa PC3 línea, donde los marcadores asperdiol y plexaurolona fueron supuestamente identificados y relacionados con la actividad citotóxica que presentan los extractos de Plexaurella sp. y Plexaura kukenthali, respectivamente. Estos resultados aumentan la velocidad, eficacia y fiabilidad de los análisis para el estudio de este tipo de matrices complejas