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Proteins and Polysaccharides from Underused Marine Resources: Properties and Applications

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Macromolecules".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2024) | Viewed by 6405

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Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of FRC Kazan Scientific Center of Rassian Academy of Sciences, 420111 Kazan, Russia
Interests: biophysics and physical chemistry of biomacromolecules, structure and functions
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Chemistry Department, Institute of Natural Science and Technology of Murmansk Arctic University, 183010 Murmansk, Russia
Interests: gel chemistry

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Underused protein and polysaccharide marine resources can play increasingly great roles in the solving of problems of humanity such as nutrition, medicine, pharmacy, novel biotechnologies, etc. The main problem of the successful usage of natural proteins and polysaccharides is their wide variation of properties and the inefficiency of their fine purification on a large scale. These biopolymers, which belong to identical families but are obtained from organisms living in distinct territories, can have variants in chemical composition and structure and contain different impurities, thus introducing novel properties to their formulations.

The main purpose of this Special Issue is the comprehensive study of proteins and polysaccharides of marine origin, extracted and purified in laboratory conditions. The main objects for this study are polysaccharides from marine plants and animals (alginate, carrageenan, fucoidan, chitosan, etc.) and fish proteins (collagen, gelatin, fish protein isolate), including antifreeze proteins. The characterization of the marine biopolymers’ structures at different levels, polysaccharide–polysaccharide, protein–polysaccharide interactions, and different properties of these systems are important for understanding the biological processes in living systems, as well as for the development and optimization of biotechnological processes and engineered systems.

We welcome contributions in the fields of biopolymer science which are at the borderline between biology, physics, chemistry, and material science. The present Special Issue, entitled “Proteins and Polysaccharides from Underused Marine Resources: Properties and Applications”, aims to provide actual and comprehensive knowledge to the large community involved in this field.

Prof. Dr. Yuriy F. Zuev
Dr. Igor Sedov
Prof. Dr. Svetlana Deckach
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • underused marine resources
  • proteins and polysaccharides
  • intermolecular interactions
  • biopolymer hydrocolloids
  • molecular physics
  • chemical physics

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 3211 KiB  
Article
Structure and Biosynthetic Gene Cluster of Sulfated Capsular Polysaccharide from the Marine Bacterium Vibrio sp. KMM 8419
by Maxim S. Kokoulin, Yulia V. Savicheva, Nadezhda Y. Otstavnykh, Valeria V. Kurilenko, Dmitry A. Meleshko and Marina P. Isaeva
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(23), 12927; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252312927 - 1 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1421
Abstract
Vibrio sp. KMM 8419 (=CB1-14) is a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from a food-net mucus sample of marine polychaete Chaetopterus cautus collected in the Sea of Japan. Here, we report the structure and biosynthetic gene cluster of the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) from strain KMM [...] Read more.
Vibrio sp. KMM 8419 (=CB1-14) is a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from a food-net mucus sample of marine polychaete Chaetopterus cautus collected in the Sea of Japan. Here, we report the structure and biosynthetic gene cluster of the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) from strain KMM 8419. The CPS was isolated and studied by one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The molecular weight of the CPS was about 254 kDa. The CPS consisted of disaccharide repeating units of D-glucose and sulfated and acetylated L-rhamnose established as →2)-α-L-Rhap3S4Ac-(1→6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→. To identify the genes responsible for CPS biosynthesis, whole-genome sequencing of KMM 8419 was carried out. Based on the genome annotations together with the Interproscan, UniProt and AntiSMASH results, a CPS-related gene cluster of 80 genes was found on chromosome 1. This cluster contained sets of genes encoding for the nucleotide sugar biosynthesis (UDP-Glc and dTDP-Rha), assembly (glycosyltransferases (GT)), transport (ABC transporter) and sulfation (PAPS biosynthesis and sulfotransferases) of the sulfated CPS. A hypothetical model for the assembly and transportation of the sulfated CPS was also proposed. In addition, this locus included genes for O-antigen biosynthesis. Further studies of biological activity, the structure–activity relationship in the new sulfated polysaccharide and its biosynthesis are necessary for the development of potent anticancer agents or drug delivery systems. Full article
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30 pages, 3612 KiB  
Article
Edible Alginate–Lecithin Films Enriched with Different Coffee Bean Extracts: Formulation, Non-Cytotoxic, Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Properties
by Robert Socha, Aleksandra Such, Anna Wisła-Świder, Lesław Juszczak, Ewelina Nowak, Karol Bulski, Krzysztof Frączek, Ivo Doskocil, Barbora Lampova and Aneta Koronowicz
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(22), 12093; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252212093 - 11 Nov 2024
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Abstract
The aim of this study was to analyze the functional properties of newly obtained films based on sodium alginate and lecithin with the addition of antioxidant-rich coffee extracts and to verify their potential as safe edible food packaging materials. In our study, we [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to analyze the functional properties of newly obtained films based on sodium alginate and lecithin with the addition of antioxidant-rich coffee extracts and to verify their potential as safe edible food packaging materials. In our study, we developed alginate–lecithin films enriched with green or roasted coffee bean extracts. The roasting process of coffee beans had a significant impact on the total phenolic content (TPC) in the studied extracts. The highest value of TPC (2697.2 mg GAE/dm3), as well as antioxidant activity (AA) (17.6 mM T/dm3), was observed for the extract of light-roasted coffee beans. Films with the addition of medium-roasted coffee extracts and baseline films had the highest tensile strength (21.21 ± 0.73 N). The addition of coffee extract improved the barrier properties of the films against UV light with a decrease in the transmittance values (200–400 nm), regardless of the type of extract added. Studies on Caco-2, HepG2 and BJ cells showed that digestated films were non-cytotoxic materials (100–0.1 μg/cm3) and had no negative effect on cell viability; an increase was noted for all cell lines, the highest after 48 h in a dose of 1 μg/cm3 for a film with medium-roasted coffee (194.43 ± 38.30) for Caco-2. The tested films at 20% digestate concentrations demonstrated the ability to reduce nitric oxide (NO) production in the RAW264.7 cell line by 25 to 60% compared to the control. Each of the tested films with coffee extracts had growth inhibitory properties towards selected species of bacteria. Full article
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18 pages, 1440 KiB  
Article
Ions-Induced Alginate Gelation According to Elemental Analysis and a Combinatorial Approach
by Olga S. Zueva, Tahar Khair, Mariia A. Kazantseva, Larisa Latypova and Yuriy F. Zuev
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(22), 16201; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms242216201 - 11 Nov 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1797
Abstract
This study considers the potential of elemental analysis of polysaccharide ionotropic gels in elucidating the junction zones for different divalent cations. The developed algorithm ensures the correct separation of contributions from physically adsorbed and structure-forming ionic compounds, with the obtained results scaled to [...] Read more.
This study considers the potential of elemental analysis of polysaccharide ionotropic gels in elucidating the junction zones for different divalent cations. The developed algorithm ensures the correct separation of contributions from physically adsorbed and structure-forming ionic compounds, with the obtained results scaled to alginate C12 block. Possible versions of chain association into dimers and their subsequent integration into flat junction zones were analyzed within the framework of the “egg-box” model. The application of combinatorial analysis made it possible to derive theoretical relations to find the probability of various types of egg-box cell occurrences for alginate chains with arbitrary monomeric units ratio μ = M/G, which makes it possible to compare experimental data for alginates of different origins. Based on literature data and obtained chemical formulas, the possible correspondence of concrete biopolymer cells to those most preferable for filling by alkaline earth cations was established. The identified features of elemental composition suggest the formation of composite hydrated complexes with the participation of transition metal cations. The possibility of quantitatively assessing ordered secondary structures formed due to the physical sorption of ions and molecules from environment, correlating with the sorption capabilities of Me2+ alginate, was established. Full article
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Review

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24 pages, 3716 KiB  
Review
Systematic Characteristics of Fucoidan: Intriguing Features for New Pharmacological Interventions
by Seungjin Jeong, Seokmin Lee, Geumbin Lee, Jimin Hyun and Bomi Ryu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(21), 11771; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252111771 - 1 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1418
Abstract
Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide found primarily in brown algae, is known for exhibiting various biological activities, many of which have been attributed to its sulfate content. However, recent advancements in techniques for analyzing polysaccharide structures have highlighted that not only the sulfate groups [...] Read more.
Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide found primarily in brown algae, is known for exhibiting various biological activities, many of which have been attributed to its sulfate content. However, recent advancements in techniques for analyzing polysaccharide structures have highlighted that not only the sulfate groups but also the composition, molecular weight, and structures of the polysaccharides and their monomers play a crucial role in modulating biological effects. This review comprehensively provides the monosaccharide composition, degree of sulfation, molecular weight distribution, and linkage of glycosidic bonds of fucoidan, focusing on the diversity of its biological activities based on various characteristics. The implications of these findings for future applications and potential therapeutic uses of fucoidan are also discussed. Full article
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