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An analysis led by Hyukjae Choi, a postdoctoral researcher inWilliam Gerwick's laboratory at Scripps, has shown that theseaweed, a tiny photosynthetic organism known as a"cyanobacterium," produces chemical compounds thatexhibit promise as anti-inflammatory agents and in combattingbacterial infections. The study is published in the May 25 th issue of the journal Chemistry & Biology. "In different arenas these compounds could be helpful, such astreating chronic inflammatory conditions for which we currentlydon't have really good medicines," said Gerwick, a professorof oceanography and pharmaceutical sciences at the Center forMarine Biotechnology and Biomedicine at Scripps and UC San DiegoSkaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Scientists identified the "nuisance" organism in 2008 onthe reefs directly adjacent to the National Park Pu'uhonua oH'onaunau off the Kona coast of Hawaii. The cyanobacterium isbelieved to be native to Hawaii and is usually inconspicuous, saidJennifer Smith, a Scripps assistant professor in the Scripps Centerfor Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and a paper coauthor. "When we first found the bloom during routine surveys with theUniversity of Hawaii we were concerned as it was clearly smotheringthe corals at one of the most popular dive sites in Hawaii,"said Smith. "Observations in the field even suggested that thecyanobacteria may have been releasing some chemical that wascausing the coral to bleach." When Smith and her colleagues found the seaweed blooming it wasclear that it was overgrowing and negatively affecting theunderlying corals. Samples were retrieved in 2009 and transferredto Scripps for analysis. Choi, Gerwick and their colleagues conducted various laboratoryexperiments and discovered that the seaweed (the cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya crossbyana ) generates natural products known as honaucins with potentanti-inflammation and bacteria-controlling properties. Specifically, the substances hamper bacteria's ability to"swarm" over surfaces. For example, when overtaking a newarea, bacteria secrete small amounts of a substance known as aquorum sensing factor, which tests to see if the new surface issafe for colonization. Halting a quorum sensing factor could oneday translate to a treatment for bacterial infections. Forinstance, this could be critical, Gerwick said, in the developmentof drugs to prevent infection in patients who require catheters todeliver vital nutrients to key areas such as arteries, as well thedevelopment of new treatments for acne and other skin conditions. "I think this finding is a nice illustration of how we need tolook more deeply in our environment because even nuisance pests, asit turns out, are not just pests," said Gerwick. "It's along road to go from this early-stage discovery to application inthe clinic but it's the only road if we want new and more efficacious medicines." "These organisms have been on the planet for millions of yearsand so it is not surprising that they have evolved numerousstrategies for competing with neighboring species, includingchemical warfare," said Smith. "Several species ofcyanobacteria and algae are known to produce novel compounds, manythat have promising use in drug development for human and otheruses." Other coauthors of the paper include Samantha Mascuch, FranciscoVilla, Tara Byrum and Lena Gerwick of Scripps Institution ofOceanography; Margaret Teasdale and David Rowley of the Universityof Rhode Island; and Linda Preskitt of the University of Hawaii,Manoa. We are high quality suppliers, our products such as PL Light Fittings Manufacturer , Outdoor Led Flood Light Fixtures Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits Flexible Led Ribbon Light.
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