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Mycosporine-like amino acids from Gracilariopsis tenuifrons (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) and its variation under high light

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Abstract

Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) have been identified as photoprotective agents for photosynthetic organisms, mainly against ultraviolet radiation. However, the role of these compounds associated with high intensity of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is not completely understood. In the present study, the MAA profile of laboratory-cultivated Gracilariopsis tenuifrons was investigated at three PAR levels. Ethanolic extract afforded a mixture of five components. Four of them were identified as asterina-330, palythinol, palythene, and usujirene. This is the first report of usujirene for Gracilariaceae. Despite the fact that the PAR increase did not alter the qualitative composition of MAAs, a clear correlation between palythinol amount and irradiance during the 7-day experiment was detected. This increase of palythinol correlated to high PAR supports the hypothesis of photoprotection related to these compounds.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank FAPESP (Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo) for financial support (2010/02948-3, Biota/Fapesp 2013/50731-1), and CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico eTecnológico) for PBT fellowship. DYACS and MJPF are supported by a CNPq research fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Botânica, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão, 277, 05508-090, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Priscila B. Torres, Fungyi Chow, Marcelo J. P. Ferreira & Déborah Y. A. C. dos Santos

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  1. Priscila B. Torres
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  2. Fungyi Chow
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  3. Marcelo J. P. Ferreira
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  4. Déborah Y. A. C. dos Santos
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Correspondence to Déborah Y. A. C. dos Santos.

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Torres, P.B., Chow, F., Ferreira, M.J.P. et al. Mycosporine-like amino acids from Gracilariopsis tenuifrons (Gracilariales, Rhodophyta) and its variation under high light. J Appl Phycol 28, 2035–2040 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0708-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10811-015-0708-0

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