Marine Microalgae: Promising Source for New Bioactive Compounds
Caterina R. de Vera,
Guillermo Díaz Crespín,
Antonio Hernández Daranas,
Sofia Montalvão Looga,
Katja-Emilia Lillsunde,
Päivi Tammela,
Merja Perälä,
Vesa Hongisto,
Johannes Virtanen,
Heiko Rischer,
Christian D. Muller,
Manuel Norte,
José J. Fernández,
María L. Souto
Affiliations
Caterina R. de Vera
Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González (IUBO AG), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 2, 38206 Tenerife, Spain
Guillermo Díaz Crespín
Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González (IUBO AG), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 2, 38206 Tenerife, Spain
Antonio Hernández Daranas
Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González (IUBO AG), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 2, 38206 Tenerife, Spain
Sofia Montalvão Looga
Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Katja-Emilia Lillsunde
Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Päivi Tammela
Drug Research Program, Division of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, P.O. Box 56, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
Merja Perälä
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
Vesa Hongisto
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
Johannes Virtanen
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
Heiko Rischer
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd., P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044 Espoo, Finland
Christian D. Muller
Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178 CRNS, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 67401 Illkirch, France
Manuel Norte
Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González (IUBO AG), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 2, 38206 Tenerife, Spain
José J. Fernández
Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González (IUBO AG), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 2, 38206 Tenerife, Spain
María L. Souto
Instituto Universitario de Bio-Orgánica Antonio González (IUBO AG), Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas de Canarias (CIBICAN), Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Avenida Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez 2, 38206 Tenerife, Spain
The study of marine natural products for their bioactive potential has gained strength in recent years. Oceans harbor a vast variety of organisms that offer a biological and chemical diversity with metabolic abilities unrivalled in terrestrial systems, which makes them an attractive target for bioprospecting as an almost untapped resource of biotechnological applications. Among them, there is no doubt that microalgae could become genuine “cell factories” for the biological synthesis of bioactive substances. Thus, in the course of inter-laboratory collaboration sponsored by the European Union (7th FP) into the MAREX Project focused on the discovery of novel bioactive compounds of marine origin for the European industry, a bioprospecting study on 33 microalgae strains was carried out. The strains were cultured at laboratory scale. Two extracts were prepared for each one (biomass and cell free culture medium) and, thus, screened to provide information on the antimicrobial, the anti-proliferative, and the apoptotic potential of the studied extracts. The outcome of this study provides additional scientific data for the selection of Alexandrium tamarensis WE, Gambierdiscus australes, Prorocentrum arenarium, Prorocentrum hoffmannianum, and Prorocentrum reticulatum (Pr-3) for further investigation and offers support for the continued research of new potential drugs for human therapeutics from cultured microalgae.