Structural Characterization and α‐Glucosidase Inhibitory and Antioxidant Activities of Fucoidans Extracted from Saccharina japonica

Two sulfated fucoidan fractions (Lj3 and Lj5) were extracted from Saccharina japonica and then subjected to acid hydrolysis to obtain Lj3h and Lj5h. Lj3h and Lj5h were characterized using IR, methylation analysis, and mass spectrometry. It was found that Lj3h and Lj5h were homogeneous low molecular weight fucoidans. Specifically, Lj3h was composed of the main chain of 1,3‐linked α‐L‐fucopyranose residues with sulfate at C‐2 and/or C‐4 and three different monosaccharides (galactose, glucose, mannose) branched at C‐2 and/or C‐4 of fucose residue. Lj5h contained backbones of alternating galactopyranose residues and fucopyranose residues attached via a 1→3 linkage (galactofucan) and 1→6 linked galactan. The sulfation pattern was mainly located at C2/C4 fucose or galactose residues and more branches occupied at C‐4 of fucose residue and C‐2, C‐3 or/and C‐6 of galactose residue. In vitro assay indicated that, among the four fucoidans tested, only Lj5 showed potent α‐glucosidase inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ of 153.27±22.89 μg/mL, and the two parent fucoidans, Lj3 and Lj5, showed better antioxidant activity than their derivatives. These findings highlight the structure and bioactivity diversity of Saccharina japonica‐derived fucoidans.     

Polyanionic characteristics of purified sulphated homofucans from brown algae

Sulphated fucans were fractionated from different brown algae using quaternary ammonium detergents. Purified fractions from different species had the same general chemical composition, that of a typical sulphated homofucans, or fucoidan. The interaction of univalent and divalent counter-ions with fucoidan was investigated by viscometry and polarimetry, and by measuring the counter-ion activites and conductance coefficients in salt-free solutions. The activity and conductance coefficients were found to be independent of the polyanion concentration and approximately the same within each family of counter-ions. This indicates that cation binding in salt-free solutions of fucoidan is purely electrostatic. The conductivity results were in good agreement with the Manning's condensation polyelectrolyte model. The density charge parameter was 2.08 and the mean length of the monomeric unit was 4.5 Å. Both the reduced viscosity and the optical rotation were dependent on the valency of the counter-ions used. Coupled with the data obtained from light-scattering measurements. ( and R_g = 1760 Å), our results suggest that fucoidan in aqueous solution is an extended, flexible coil.     

岩藻多糖的提取、化学改性、降血糖活性及机理研究进展

岩藻多糖(fucoidans, FU)主要来源于海洋褐藻和海洋无脊椎动物,是一种复杂的硫酸化多糖。FU主要单糖组成为岩藻糖,含有大量硫酸基团,是一种多聚阴离子同型杂多糖。FU具有广泛的潜在健康功效及治疗作用,包括抗肿瘤、调节免疫、抗病毒、降血糖等。FU的化学结构及硫酸基团含量对功能活性具有重要影响,不同提取方法影响FUs的结构组成,而化学改性可以进一步提高其生物活性。因此,本文旨在概述FU的提取、化学改性方法及降血糖活性和机理,展望了FU提取、化学改性、结构及降血糖活性及其他生物活性构效关系方面未来研究方向,为今后的加工和创新利用提供理论参考。     

O-glycosylhydrolases of embryos of the sea urchin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Strongylocentrotus intermedius</Emphasis> and effect of some natural substances on their biosynthesis

Embryos of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius have been found to contain o-glycosyl hydrolases: highly active 1,3-β-D-glucanase and β-D-mannosidase as well as a lower activity of β-D-glucosidase and β-D-galactosidase. Dynamics of changes of the enzyme activities has been studied at various stages of the sea urchin development. There has also been studied effects of some substances (natural fucoidans, β-1.3; 1.6-glucans formed by enzymatic synthesis as well as protein inhibitor of marine mollusc endo-1,3-β-D-glucanases) on development of the embryos and biosynthesis of 1,3-β-D-glucanase and α-D-mannosidase.     

The Synthesis and NMR and Conformational Studies of Fucoidan Fragments: VI.1 Fragments with an α-(1 → 2)-Linked Fucobioside Unit

A series of selectively sulfated di- and trisaccharide derivatives corresponding to the potential fragments of fucoidans with a -(1 2)-linked fucobioside unit were synthesized and studied by ¹ and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. NOE experiments and molecular modeling were used for a conformational analysis of the compounds synthesized. In the case of disaccharides, the experimental NOE values were found to agree with those obtained using modeling with the use of density functional theory (DFT) and differ from those resulting from modeling by the molecular mechanics MM3 force field. Trisaccharide fragments partially or completely sulfated in position 4 turned out to be correctly described by both MM3 force field and DFT computation.     

Polysaccharides of Algae: 55. Polysaccharide Composition of Several Brown Algae from Kamchatka

A new spectrophotometric procedure was developed for the quantitative determination of fucoidan and alginic acid and used for their analysis in extracts from biomass of 17 species of brown algae collected from coastal waters of the Kamchatka peninsula. In addition, neutral monosaccharides and mannitol were determined in the hydrolysis products of the alga biomass samples. The polysaccharide composition was shown to substantially depend on the algal species. The alginic acid content was maximal in the Alaria marginatablades; all the other representatives of the order Laminariales also are useful sources of this polysaccharide. At the same time, the fucoidan content is rather low in Laminariales. The highest content of fucoidan was found in Saundersella simplex, but Chordaria flagelliformisand Fucus evanescensare more practical fucoidan sources; the available supplies and the sugar composition make the latter alga the most suitable for the complex processing to prepare mannitol, fucoidan, and alginic acid.     

Screening of marine bacteria for fucoidanases

Twenty-five strains of epiphytic marine bacteria isolated from the brown algaeFucus evanescens andChorda filum and fifty-three bacteria isolated from the sea cucumberApostichopus japonicus were screened for fucoidanases using fucoidans prepared from the brown algaeF. evanescens, Laminaria cichorioides, andL japonica. Eighteen bacterial epiphytes and thirty-eight bacterial isolates from the sea cucumber were found to contain fucoidanases, which were able to hydrolyze either all of the fucoidans studied or some of them. Bacteria of the generaCytophaga andAlteromonas/Pseudoalteromonas exhibited the highest fucoidanase activities, which, however, did not exceed the activity of fucoidanases from the already known sources.