light-dependent hemolytic agents isolated from red tide phytoplankton
Description: Resent our and other extensive studies found that most of harmful algal bloom (HAB)-forming species have an ability to produce extracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and Chattonella is the highest ROS producing phytoplankton among them. Our comparative studies using several strains of Chattonella showed that ROS production rate and fish-killing activity of Chattonella is well correlated. In addition to ROS, some HAB species such as Heterocapsa circularisquama and Karenia mikimotoi show hemolytic activity. Isolation, purification, and chemical analysis on the hemolytic agents revealed that a porphyrin derivative is one of the main hemolytic agents in these HAB species, and it has potent cytotoxic activity towards tumor cells, Gram-negative bacteria, and HAB species including own cells. Our studies demonstrated that the activity is light-dependent, and membrane damage caused by singlet oxygen generated by light-activated porphyrin molecule is underlying cytotoxic mechanism.
Amount: ¥4,420,000
Funding type: research
Funder scheme: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Start date: 2018-04-01
End date: 2022-03-31
Investigator: Tatsuya Oda
Institution: Nagasaki University
Field: Energy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Funded outputs count: 18
Funder award ID: 18K05823
OpenAlex ID: G2856686722