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Evaluating the photoprotective potential of Leptolyngbya sp.

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Abstract

Cyanobacteria, can be found in many different terrestrial or aquatic habitats that are sometimes unbearable for many other organisms. Biosynthesis of mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) enables growth in such environments due to their UV screening and antioxidant activity. MAAs are water-soluble bioactive molecules with vast biotechnological potentials due to their UV screening properties and antioxidant activities. In the present study, the occurrence of MAAs in the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. (Gomont) Anagnostidis and Komárek was assessed by HPLC–PDA ESI–MS analysis. The combination of UV and MS data values revealed the occurrence of nine different MAAs, including; palythine (1), palythenic acid (2), euhalothece-362 (3), palythene (4), usujirene (5), palythine serine (6), asterina-330 (7), palythinol (8), and palythine-threonine (9). As well, some different in vitro antioxidant assays such as ABTS, FRAP, and RP were applied to evaluate the antioxidant properties of the MAA-enriched extract. The results indicate a significant and dose-dependent antioxidant activity of the MAA-enriched extract (54% ABTS scavenging activity at the dose of 2 mg mL−1 extract) in this cyanobacterium which was comparable with those of ascorbic acid (81% antioxidation rate at 2 mg mL−1 of ascorbic acid). All these observations suggest that Leptolyngbya sp. may act as a new, promising source of MAA compounds.

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Abbreviations

HPLC:

High-performance liquid chromatography

MAAs:

Mycosporine-like amino acids

RT:

Retention time

UV-B:

Ultraviolet-B

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Institute for Medical Research Development, Grant no. 940709.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Marine Biology Department, Faculty of Marine Science and Technology, University of Hormozgan, Bandar Abbas, Iran

    Maryam Kokabi & Maryam Soltani

  2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Qom, Qom, Iran

    Morteza Yousefzadi

  3. Department of Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants and Drugs Research Institute, Shahid Beheshti University, G. C., Evin, Tehran, Iran

    Samad Nejad Ebrahimi

  4. Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Biological and Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, 65085-580, Brazil

    Sonia Malik

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  1. Maryam Kokabi
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  2. Morteza Yousefzadi
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  4. Maryam Soltani
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  5. Sonia Malik
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Correspondence to Morteza Yousefzadi.

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Kokabi, M., Yousefzadi, M., Nejad Ebrahimi, S. et al. Evaluating the photoprotective potential of Leptolyngbya sp.. Acta Physiol Plant 44, 94 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-022-03416-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-022-03416-4

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