Microwave-assisted extraction of sulfated fucans from brown seaweed and evaluation of fungal strains for enzymesactive production toward this class of polysaccharide
Sulphated polysaccharides from brown seaweedss
comprise a complex group of macromolecules with
a wide range of important biological properties such
as anticoagulant, antioxidant, antiproliferative,
antitumoral, anticomplementary, anti-inflammatory,
antiviral, antipeptic and antiadhesive activities.
Fucoidan is one of the main sulphated fucan, mostly
interesting for their biological activities specially the
potential to inhibit HIV reverse transcriptase and the
possible application as active compound in
antiretroviral drugs. However, algae remain largely
unexploited and seaweeds can be found in sufficient
amount for the commercial exploitation. Usually,
most of the processes to recover sulfated
polysaccharides from natural sources consist in acid
extractions during long reaction times. Specific
enzymes able to degrade fucoidan matrix
(fucoidanases) are important tools to establish
structural characteristics and biological functions of
this polysaccharide. Such enzymes, have been only
isolated from marine organisms. Reports of fungal
microorganisms with enzymatic activity over this
sulfated-polysaccharide are scarce. The aims of the
present work were: 1) to recovery of sulphated
polysaccharides (fucoidan) by microwave-assisted
extraction under different operational conditions and
2) the identification of fungal strains able to growth
over fucoidan-based media and to produce active
fucoidanases