The Crustose Brown Algae of New Zealand: a Taxonomic Study

<p>Nine species of crustose brown algae are described from New Zealand’s coast. Three species are microthalli of species of Scytosiphonaceae: Colpomenia bullosa Yamada, Scytosiphon lomentaria (Lyngbye) Link and Petalonia binghamiae (J. Agardh) Vinogradova. One species of Lithodermataceae, Pseudolithoderma roscoffense Loiseaux is described from Northland. Four species are Ralfsiaceae, Ralfsia expansa (J. Agardh) J. Agardh, Ralfsia confusa Hollenberg, a new species, Ralfisa sp. “smooth”, and Hapalospongidion gelatinosum Saunders. H. saxigenum Lindauer is identical to Hapalospongidion gelatinosum Saunders. One new species of Diplura, currently placed in the Ralfsiaceae, is described. Ralfsia verrucosa (Areschoug) Areschoug, previously reported from New Zealand, was not found. ITS-2 sequences show that Ralfsia expansa, Ralfsia confusa and Ralfsia sp. “smooth” are closely related. Ralfsia expansa is more distantly related. These relationships are consistent with morphological differences. LSU nrDNA sequences show Diplura sp. and Pseudolithoderma roscoffense are not closely related to other Ralfsiaceae. These algae form a weakly supported group with members of the Sphacelariales. Hapalospongidion and three Ralfsia species form a well supported group, but this group’s relationship to other phaeophycean orders is not resolved. These results are discussed in relation to plastid number and the status of the order Ralfsiales.</p>

The Crustose Brown Algae of New Zealand: a Taxonomic Study

<p>Nine species of crustose brown algae are described from New Zealand’s coast. Three species are microthalli of species of Scytosiphonaceae: Colpomenia bullosa Yamada, Scytosiphon lomentaria (Lyngbye) Link and Petalonia binghamiae (J. Agardh) Vinogradova. One species of Lithodermataceae, Pseudolithoderma roscoffense Loiseaux is described from Northland. Four species are Ralfsiaceae, Ralfsia expansa (J. Agardh) J. Agardh, Ralfsia confusa Hollenberg, a new species, Ralfisa sp. “smooth”, and Hapalospongidion gelatinosum Saunders. H. saxigenum Lindauer is identical to Hapalospongidion gelatinosum Saunders. One new species of Diplura, currently placed in the Ralfsiaceae, is described. Ralfsia verrucosa (Areschoug) Areschoug, previously reported from New Zealand, was not found. ITS-2 sequences show that Ralfsia expansa, Ralfsia confusa and Ralfsia sp. “smooth” are closely related. Ralfsia expansa is more distantly related. These relationships are consistent with morphological differences. LSU nrDNA sequences show Diplura sp. and Pseudolithoderma roscoffense are not closely related to other Ralfsiaceae. These algae form a weakly supported group with members of the Sphacelariales. Hapalospongidion and three Ralfsia species form a well supported group, but this group’s relationship to other phaeophycean orders is not resolved. These results are discussed in relation to plastid number and the status of the order Ralfsiales.</p>

FUKOSANTIN: KAROTENOID BERHARGA DARI MAKROALGA COKLAT

FUCOXANTHIN: A HIGH VALUE CAROTENOID FROM BROWN MACROALGAE. Fucoxanthin is carotenoid that can be found in marine brown seaweed (macroalgae) and diatoms (microalgae). Fucoxanthin has been isolated from brown macroalgae for its bioactivities study, including: Cystoceira barbata, Sargassum aquifolium, Sargassum filipendula, Sargassum ilicifolium, Sargassum wightii, Alaria crassifolia, Cladosiphon okamuranus, Cystoseira hakodatensis, Eisenia bicyclis, Fucus serratus, Fucus vesiculosus, Hijikia fusiformis, Ishige okamurae, Kjellmaniella crassifolia, Laminaria japonica, Laminaria ochotensis, Myagropsis myagroides, Padina tetrastromatica, Petalonia binghamiae, Sargassum fulvellum, Sargassum heterophyllum, Sargassum horneri, Sargassum siliquastrum, Undaria pinnatifida, Sargassum longifolium, Padina sp, Turbinaria sp, and Undaria pinnatifida. The amount of fucoxanthin depends on the species of algae. Fucoxanthin has been reported to have bioactivities, i.e. antioxidant, antiinflammatory, anticancer, antiobese, antidiabetic, antiangiogenic, and pigmentation inhibitory.

The Extract of Edible Alga Petalonia binghamiae Suppresses TGF-β1-or H2O2-Induced Liver Fibrogenesis in LX-2 and HepG2 Cells

Although the edible alga Petalonia binghamiae is extensively consumed as a health-promoting food by Northeast Asians, little is known about the biomedical efficacies of P. binghamiae. In this report, we investigated the novel efficacy of P. binghamiae extract ( Pb-E01) using LX-2 and HepG2 cells. Pb-E01 inhibited TGF-β1-induced cell proliferation and gene expression in LX-2 cells. In addition, Pb-E01 reduced H2O2–induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity in HepG2 cells. According to these results, we suggest that Pb-E01 plays a functional role in suppressing liver fibrogenesis.