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The phytophenolic complement and phytopharmaceutical potential of snow algae of the Windmill Islands region

Entry ID: ASAC_1099

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Summary

Abstract: Introduction: Snow algae grow under extreme conditions of temperature and high exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. These organisms must have evolved ways to protect their cellular components from the harmful effects of UV. Snow algae, consequently, may produce compounds of benefit for protecting humans from skin cancer and other diseases resulting from exposure to UV light. This investigation ... (ASAC project #1099 in 2001) collected snow algae from various locations around Casey Station and the Windmill Islands, Antarctica. One of the primary goals was to examine algal extracts for UV-protecting compounds.

Samples: Snow algal samples were returned to the laboratory in the US for characterization and analysis. Algae were identified, photomicrographed, characterized, compared to cultured snow algae and collecting results made in previous years (Ling).

Methods/chemical analysis: Upon return to the US snow algae were processed in the following manner: green snow algae from Churchill Point (Ulothrix and Chloromonas species) and red snow algae collected from Sparkes Bay (Chlorosarcina and Chloromonas polyptera), were compared to cultured green snow algae (Chloromonas sp.). The Antarctic snow algae in melt water was centrifuged and the pellet resuspended in distilled water, sonicated and extracted with 2 X 4 ml ethyl acetate. The cultured snow algae was filtered and sonicated in water, then extracted with 2 X 4 ml ethyl acetate. After removal of the solvent the sample was either analyzed directly or converted to the TMS derivative prior to GC/MS analysis. Tentative structural assignments are based on the NIST mass spectral library and are summarized in the attached table.

Preliminary results: Chromatograms and mass spectra of the free and TMS derivatized ethyl acetate soluble components of the cultured and two samples of the wild (Antarctic) snow algae have been compared using GC/MS methods. Structural assignments of the various components were based on a comparison of the unknown spectrum of the sample with NIST mass spectral library spectra; the structures are tentative. The samples differ in their complexity, with the cultured green snow algae showing major components distributed fairly evenly across the chromatogram. The wild green snow algae has components concentrated above the 13.5 min region of the chromatogram, with fewer components in the lower MW range. In contrast, the red snow algae (collected primarily at Sparkes Bay and Newcombe Bay near Casey), have a higher concentration of lower MW components than the other samples. Differences are also evident in the presence/absence of major components in the chromatograms.

The fields in this dataset are:

Species
Location
Sample
Date
Compounds

Related URL

Link: GET DATA

Description: Download point for the data.

Geographic Coverage

(Click for Interactive Map)

Spatial coordinates

N: -66.0

S: -66.0

E: 110.0

W: 110.0

Temporal Coverage

Start Date: 2001-12-23

Stop Date: 2001-12-27

Location Keywords

CONTINENT > ANTARCTICA > Windmill Islands

GEOGRAPHIC REGION > POLAR

Science Keywords

ATMOSPHERE > ATMOSPHERIC RADIATION > ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION

HUMAN DIMENSIONS > PUBLIC HEALTH > DISEASES/EPIDEMICS

BIOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION > PLANTS > ALGAE

ISO Topic Category

BIOTA

CLIMATOLOGY/METEOROLOGY/ATMOSPHERE

HEALTH

Platform

FIELD SURVEYS

Access Constraints The dataset is available for download from the url given below.

In the download file are two text documents - an abstract from a conference paper, and a short paper; and two spreadsheets - one providing location and species details, and the other the results of the chemical analysis.

Use Constraints This data set conforms to the PICCCBY Attribution License
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).

Ancillary Keywords

ANTARCTICA

CHLOROMONAS

Data Set Progress

COMPLETE

Data Center

Australian Antarctic Data Centre, Australia

Data Center URL: http://data.aad.gov.au

Data Center Personnel
Name: DATA OFFICER AADC Phone: +61 3 6232 3244 Fax: +61 3 6232 3351 Email: metadata at aad.gov.au Contact Address: Australian Antarctic Division 203 Channel Highway City: Kingston Province or State: Tasmania Postal Code: 7050 Country: Australia

Distribution

Distribution Media: HTTP

Distribution Size: 18 KB

Distribution Format: csv, rtf, xls

Fees: Free

Personnel

BRIAN DUVAL

Role: INVESTIGATOR

Role: TECHNICAL CONTACT

Role: DIF AUTHOR

Phone: +1 413 967-5070

Email: snowalgae at hotmail.com

Contact Address:

3 Crescent Street

City: Ware

Province or State: MA

Postal Code: 01082

Country: USA

Publications/References

R.W. Hoham and B. Duval, H.G. Jones, J.W. Pomeroy, D.A. Walker, eds. (2001), Microbial ecology of snow and fresh-water ice with emphasis on snow algae& in Snow Ecology: An interdisciplinary examination of snow covered ecosystems, Cambridge Univ. press, Cambridge, UK

B. Duval, K. Shetty and W.H. Thomas (1999), Phenolic compounds and antioxidant properties in the snow algae Chlamydomonas nivalis after exposure to UV light, J. Applied Phycology, 11, 559-566

Creation and Review Dates

DIF Creation Date: 2004-02-17

Last DIF Revision Date: 2011-05-10

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