Functional Sulfur Amino Acid Production and Seawater Remediation System by Sterile <I>Ulva</I> sp. (Chlorophyta)

Abstract

Sterile Ulva, which is a macroalga, has the potential to grow stably; therefore, this seaweed is expected to be an efficient resource of functional food containing various nutrients such as sulfur amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and minerals. Ulva latuca was selected from the "Marine Park" in Tokyo Bay, and its growth rate (g-dry/[m2.d]) was measured using model reactors located on the land or on the surface of the sea at Yokohama. The growth rate of U. lactuca was recorded to be approx 20 g-dry/(m2.d), which is estimated to be 10 times greater than that in a natural field in the Marine Park. In addition, this growth rate was higher than that of conventional crops such as corn and rice on a farm or paddy. These data led us to newly design and propose a floating type of labor-efficient U. lactuca production system. d-Cysteinolic acid, which is included in U. lactuca as a major sulfur amino acid, inhibited the Fenton reaction, resulting in suppression of hydroxyl radical production and singlet oxygen. Addition of the sulfur amino acid (1 microM) to HepG2 cells markedly decreased the intracellular triglyceride level. Hence, this proposed facility also has the potential for industrial production of a valuable resource for the primary prevention of lifestyle-related diseases using enriched or eutrophied seawater.

Feasibility study of Ulva sp. (Chlorophyta) intensive cultivation in a coastal area of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

“…Following the success of on‐land photobioreactors in providing high biomass yields when the major cultivation parameters of temperature, light, mixing, and nutrients were controlled, theoretically possible intensified offshore cultivation methods were proposed . However, to the best of our knowledge, the intensification methods that control key parameters offshore, have not been demonstrated in the field.…”

The production of butanol from Jamaica bay macro algae

“…The objective of this study was to ascertain the technical potential of producing biobutanol from algae that naturally grows in nutrient contaminated rivers, lakes, and bays. Of major concern is the removal of excess dissolved nitrates and phosphates [1–7], carbon dioxide [8–25] and heavy metals [26–30]. This study also compared butanol production from the classic acetone‐buanol‐ethanol (ABE) fermentation and the two step fermentation process.…”

Chemistry and biology of the aminosulfonate cysteinolic acid: discovery, distribution, synthesis and metabolism

“…Levels up to 5 g kg −1 have been isolated from the green alga Ulva lactuca , leading to a proposal for its cultivation as a source of cysteinolic acid anticipating its potential for treating hypertriglyceridemia, hyperlipidemia and obesity related diseases. 6 In all animal species cysteinolic acid was isolated in lower concentrations, 23–163 mg kg −1 for crustaceans and ray-finned fish, 20 and 6 mg kg −1 for the starfish Asterina pectinifera , 19 and taurine was usually more abundant than cysteinolic acid in animals. The lower concentrations of cysteinolic acid isolated from animals relative to algae suggests that it may arise from dietary ingestion, a suggestion consistent with the absence of bile acid conjugates of cysteinolic acid in some aquafarmed fish versus its presence in the same fish species when wild-caught ( vide infra ).…”

“…14 Cysteinolic acid is also found in most brown, green and red alga. 6,7,[15][16][17][18] A limited study suggested no variation in cysteinolic acid levels across a two month observation period in the red algae Chondrus ocellatus. 18 Cysteinolic acid was not detected in cyanobacteria in a survey of nine species.…”

“…crustaceans, starfish and fish). It is present at high concentrations within algae (up to 5 g kg −1 ) 6 and phytoplankton 7 and is a compatible solute with osmoregulatory characteristics. 7 Cysteinolic acid is found conjugated to steroids and lipids, and structural elements of 1 are found within a range of sulfonate sphingolipids.…”