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Mar. Drugs, Volume 9, Issue 12 (December 2011), Pages 2488-2817 Release issue

Admin — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:35:57 +0000

MDPI is pleased to announce the publication of the following issue:Mar. Drugs, Volume 9, Issue 12 (December 2011), Pages 2488-2817 at http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/

Maria Mansson, Anita Nielsen, Louise Kjærulff, Charlotte H. Gotfredsen, Matthias Wietz, Hanne Ingmer, Lone Gram and Thomas O. Larsen
Article: Inhibition of Virulence Gene Expression in Staphylococcus aureus by Novel Depsipeptides from a Marine Photobacterium
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2537-2552; doi:10.3390/md9122537
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2537/

Julianne Dyble, Duane Gossiaux, Peter Landrum, Donna R. Kashian and Steven Pothoven
Article: A Kinetic Study of Accumulation and Elimination of Microcystin-LR in Yellow Perch (Perca Flavescens) Tissue and Implications for Human Fish Consumption
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2553-2571; doi:10.3390/md9122553
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2553/

Massimiliano Borgogna, Barbara Bellich and Attilio Cesàro
Review: Marine Polysaccharides in Microencapsulation and Application to Aquaculture: “From Sea to Sea”
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2572-2604; doi:10.3390/md9122572
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2572/

Marcel Tutor Ale, Hiroko Maruyama, Hidekazu Tamauchi, Jørn D. Mikkelsen and Anne S. Meyer
Article: Fucose-Containing Sulfated Polysaccharides from Brown Seaweeds Inhibit Proliferation of Melanoma Cells and Induce Apoptosis by Activation of Caspase-3 in Vitro
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2605-2621; doi:10.3390/md9122605
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2605/

Ching-Chyuan Su, Jui-Hsin Su, Jen-Jie Lin, Cheng-Chi Chen, Wen-Ing Hwang, Han Hsiang Huang and Yu-Jen Wu
Article: An Investigation into the Cytotoxic Effects of 13-Acetoxysarcocrassolide from the Soft Coral Sarcophyton crassocaule on Bladder Cancer Cells
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2622-2642; doi:10.3390/md9122622
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2622/

Priscilla L. Winder, Shirley A. Pomponi and Amy E. Wright
Review: Natural Products from the Lithistida: A Review of the Literature since 2000
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2643-2682; doi:10.3390/md9122643
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2643/

Asuncion Rocher, Ana Isabel Caceres, Ana Obeso and Constancio Gonzalez
Review: Tetrodotoxin as a Tool to Elucidate Sensory Transduction Mechanisms: The Case for the Arterial Chemoreceptors of the Carotid Body
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2683-2704; doi:10.3390/md9122683
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2683/

Shih-Tseng Lin, Shang-Kwei Wang and Chang-Yih Duh
Article: Cembranoids from the Dongsha Atoll Soft Coral Lobophytum crassum
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2705-2716; doi:10.3390/md9122705
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2705/

Charles B. Berde, Umeshkumar Athiraman, Barak Yahalom, David Zurakowski, Gabriel Corfas and Christina Bognet
Article: Tetrodotoxin-Bupivacaine-Epinephrine Combinations for Prolonged Local Anesthesia
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2717-2728; doi:10.3390/md9122717
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2717/

Aloysio da S. Ferrão-Filho and Betina Kozlowsky-Suzuki
Review: Cyanotoxins: Bioaccumulation and Effects on Aquatic Animals
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2729-2772; doi:10.3390/md9122729
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2729/

Yang-Chang Wu, Jui-Hsin Su, Tai-Ting Chou, Yin-Pin Cheng, Ching-Feng Weng, Chia-Hung Lee, Lee-Shing Fang, Wei-Hsien Wang, Jan-Jung Li, Mei-Chin Lu, Jimmy Kuo, Jyh-Horng Sheu and Ping-Jyun Sung
Review: Natural Product Chemistry of Gorgonian Corals of Genus Junceella—Part II
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2773-2792; doi:10.3390/md9122773
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2773/

Kumiko Yokogawa, Isao Matsui-Yuasa, Akiko Tamura, Masaki Terada and Akiko Kojima-Yuasa
Article: Inhibitory Effects of Ecklonia cava Extract on High Glucose-Induced Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2793-2808; doi:10.3390/md9122793
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2793/

Rihab F. Angawi, Giorgio Bavestrello, Barbara Calcinai, Henny Adeleida Dien, Giovanna Donnarumma, Maria Antonietta Tufano, Iole Paoletti, Elena Grimaldi, Giuseppina Chianese, Ernesto Fattorusso and Orazio Taglialatela-Scafati
Article: Aurantoside J: a New Tetramic Acid Glycoside from Theonella swinhoei. Insights into the Antifungal Potential of Aurantosides
Mar. Drugs 2011, 9(12), 2809-2817; doi:10.3390/md9122809
http://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/9/12/2809/

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Aquapharm and CABI sign collaborative agreement

Admin — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 13:57:37 +0000

Scottish marine biotechnology firm Aquapharm has signed an agreement with the Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI) which will allow the organisations to access and co-promote one another’s unique microbe collections.

Aquapharm specialises in the discovery, isolation and development of novel functional active ingredients, sustainably harvested from marine micro-organisms for potential use in a wide range of commercial sectors.

Meanwhile not-for-profit organisation CABI – which is highly respected for its cutting-edge research – applies scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment, with a focus on scientific publishing, development and research, and microbial services.

The agreement sets out how Aquapharm and CABI will share know-how and resources, paving the way for the future commercialisation of a variety of microbial strains/extracts.

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Aquapharm Biodiscovery renews deal with Croda/Sederma, harnessing Aquapharm’s collection of marine micro-organisms for cosmetics

Admin — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:05:00 +0000

Leading Scottish marine biotechnology company, Aquapharm Biodiscovery Ltd, has reached a crucial new stage in the development of next generation cosmetics harnessing its unique collection of marine micro-organisms.

Aquapharm, which signed a three year R&D agreement with Croda, a global leader in speciality chemicals for the personal care market in 2008, has struck a renewed deal to work with Croda’s highly respected cosmetics subsidiary, Sederma, to advance a shortlist of naturally sourced candidates identified during the collaboration towards the market.

Prof. Simon Best, CEO of Aquapharm, explains: “I’m delighted that Sederma and Aquapharm will continue to build on the foundations established through our successful collaboration with Croda; it confirms the rich potential of our marine microbe collection as a source of next generation cosmetic ingredients for skincare application. We are now on course to see the first of our products launched to market as early as 2013.”

Dr Keith Layden, President, Croda Enterprise Technology, says: “Aquapharm is one of the UK’s most promising biotech firms, breaking new ground with its pioneering research into marine natural products. Our collaboration thus far has led to many exciting new developments which promise to deliver novel and sustainable solutions for the personal care industry.

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Partner sought in development and fermentation of compounds from natural marine origin

Admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 17:24:54 +0000

A Spanish company located in the North of Spain with microbiological and fermentation expertise, is looking for companies interested in compounds for research and/or preclinical and clinical development with diverse applications for medicine, cosmetics, agriculture, biodiesel, nutraceuticals, etc. Joint further development and joint venture agreements are offered.

The biotechnology company is engaged in discovering and developing novel bioactive compounds from marine microorganisms.

Founded in 1996, it has developed an outstanding collection of more than 50,000 marine microorganisms, their fermentation extracts and an extended library of compounds produced by these microorganisms. Through collaborations with private and public research organizations worldwide, the company has identified active compounds in areas such as cancer, neurodegenerative and infectious diseases, cosmetic and agricultural applications.

The company has also production facilities; if large amounts of any of the extracts or compounds are required, Biomar has fermentation capabilities of up to 3000L, including fermentation and compound purification. Smaller tanks of 30, 100 and 300L are also available, in our state of the art Fermentation Plant.

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New Publication Details Leiodermatolide, a Potent Antimitotic Macrolide from the Marine Sponge

Admin — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 17:21:11 +0000

Leiodermatolide is a structurally unique macrolide isolated from the deep-water marine sponge Leiodermatium sp. which exhibits potent antiproliferative activity against a range of human cancer cell lines and drastic effects on spindle formation in mitotic cells. Its unprecedented polyketide skeleton and stereochemistry were established using a combination of experimental and computational NMR methods.

Paterson, I., Dalby, S. M., Roberts, J. C., Naylor, G. J., Guzmán, E. A., Isbrucker, R., Pitts, T. P., Linley, P., Divlianska, D., Reed, J. K. and Wright, A. E. , Leiodermatolide, a Potent Antimitotic Macrolide from the Marine Sponge Leiodermatium sp.Angewandte Chemie International Edition, n/a. doi: 10.1002/anie.201007719

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NineSigma Seeks Natural Compound Collections for Screening: invites proposals for the purchase of natural compound collections

Admin — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 22:25:45 +0000

NineSigma reports that they are looking for proposals for the purchase of natural compound collections for screening. The compounds may be pure or extracts (fractionated or not) or semi-synthetic but must be derived from sustainable natural sources. They are interested in compound collection acquisition, licensing, supplier agreement. Co-development of any discovered activities is also possible.

Description

Collection(s) will be screened in assays relevant to the development of consumer care products. As such, compounds should be potentially suitable for such applications and must either be currently available or have a reasonable likelihood of being available on sustainable commercial scales (tons).

Possible approaches:
- Samples may be pure or semi-pure, including extracts (preferably fractionated).
- Among others, libraries of commodity natural products, natural product components, and consumer care ingredients are all possible sample sources.
- Developing nations with unique biota that could be sustainably developed may present with interesting avenues of investigation.
- Low, medium, and/or high molecular weight compounds are all of interest provided they are derived from acceptable natural sources.

Approaches not of interest:
- Synthetic chemical libraries
- Collections of pharmaceutical drugs
- Compounds derived from animal sources unless they are obtained “without harm”
- Biological agents
- Compounds or extracts that cannot be supplied (or potentially supplied) on sustainable commercial scales.

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EVENT – UC San Diego: Pharmaceuticals from the Sea — using marine microorganisms in unimaginable ways

Admin — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 20:49:47 +0000

Pharmaceuticals from the Sea: Using marine microorganisms in unimaginable ways

Presented by:
Dr. William Gerwick
Professor, Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine
Scripps Institution of Oceanography & Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
UC San Diego

Date: Wednesday, January 26, 2010
Time: 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.
Location: AMN Healthcare
12400 High Bluff Drive # 100
San Diego, CA 92130

Program Overview:
Pharmacological research reveals that marine cyanobacteria, single-celled organisms often referred to as blue-green algae, have proven to be an effective cancer treatment in recent human clinical trials. Rapidly opening new doors for natural product drug development, cyanobacteria coupled with new screening processes and technology, is allowing for a rich interface of creative research in anticancer and anti-inflammatory activity.

In addition to its pharmacological implications, cyanobacteria and algae are especially rich in lipids that are being studied for their usefulness in creating renewable biofuels. While there are currently many unknowns about reliably producing enhanced lipid yields without negatively effecting its growth, researchers at UC San Diego are looking to overcome these obstacles.

In this lecture, Dr. William Gerwick, Professor in the Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, will discuss the recent discoveries being made at the Gerwick Research Laboratory. These breakthroughs will illustrate the application of techniques in the more effective investigation of marine cyanobacteria and other microalgae for pharmaceutical lead compounds as well as biofuel-relevant lipids.

Who Should Attend:
Scientists, engineers, physicians, healthcare leaders, venture capitalists, technology and life sciences professionals, services providers and business leaders.

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MARBIONC Accepts the Pepsi Challenge

Admin — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:36:58 +0000

North Carolina’s MARBIONC has recently submitted a proposal to Pepsi’s Refresh Project to help fund their work to discover new antibiotics against drug-resistant “superbugs”. The Pepsi Refresh grant will allow MARBIONC to explore the untapped biodiversity of marine micro-environments to isolate microbes that may produce antibiotic cures against this growing threat.

Drug resistant strains of bacteria and fungi or “superbugs” are on the rise, killing tens of thousands of people each year. There is a crucial need for new classes of antibiotics and a critical shortage of such new compounds in drug company pipelines. Some of the most important antibiotics we use today have been isolated from terrestrial microbes. MARBIONC’s plan is to collect new species of antibiotic producing microbes from unique marine environments known as frontier habitats. In the laboratory we will culture these new microbes and extract their antibiotic chemicals to use in drug testing against these lethal “superbugs”.

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US: Newsweek Magazine showcases hunt for medical cures underwater

Admin — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:58:53 +0000

Advances in technology are making it easier and increasingly profitable to hunt for drugs in the ocean. Marine bioprospectors, as they’re known, are scouring coral reefs, deep-sea trenches, and everything in between. David Newman, chief of the natural products branch at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), estimates that at least 30 research teams are experimenting with marine-derived compounds for treating cancer, neural degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, malaria, diabetes, depression, asthma, and other ailments.

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Census of Marine Life Produces Huge Harvest

Admin — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 02:12:35 +0000

First Census of Marine Life 2010: Highlights of a Decade of Discovery is now available.

A 64-page report that describes some of the scientific highlights of ten years of exploration, research and analysis undertaken by Census of Marine Life scientists. Included is a description of the Census research projects and organizational structure.

Great photos

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Aquapreneur » marine organism

Mar. Drugs, Volume 9, Issue 12 (December 2011), Pages 2488-2817 Release issue

Table of Contents:

Aquapharm and CABI sign collaborative agreement

Aquapharm Biodiscovery renews deal with Croda/Sederma, harnessing Aquapharm’s collection of marine micro-organisms for cosmetics

Partner sought in development and fermentation of compounds from natural marine origin

New Publication Details Leiodermatolide, a Potent Antimitotic Macrolide from the Marine Sponge

NineSigma Seeks Natural Compound Collections for Screening: invites proposals for the purchase of natural compound collections

EVENT – UC San Diego: Pharmaceuticals from the Sea — using marine microorganisms in unimaginable ways

MARBIONC Accepts the Pepsi Challenge

US: Newsweek Magazine showcases hunt for medical cures underwater

Census of Marine Life Produces Huge Harvest