Separation and Determination of Functional Complex Lipids from Chicken Skin

Giant Viruses as a Source of Novel Enzymes for Biotechnological Application

The global demand for industrial enzymes has been increasing in recent years, and the search for new sources of these biological products is intense, especially in microorganisms. Most known viruses have limited genetic machinery and, thus, have been overlooked by the enzyme industry for years. However, a peculiar group of viruses breaks this paradigm. Giant viruses of the phylum Nucleocytoviricota infect protists (i.e., algae and amoebae) and have complex genomes, reaching up to 2.7 Mb in length and encoding hundreds of genes. Different giant viruses have robust metabolic machinery, especially those in the Phycodnaviridae and Mimiviridae families. In this review, we present some peculiarities of giant viruses that infect protists and discuss why they should be seen as an outstanding source of new enzymes. We revisited the genomes of representatives of different groups of giant viruses and put together information about their enzymatic machinery, highlighting several genes to be explored in biotechnology involved in carbohydrate metabolism, DNA replication, and RNA processing, among others. Finally, we present additional evidence based on structural biology using chitinase as a model to reinforce the role of giant viruses as a source of novel enzymes for biotechnological application.

Characteristics and emulsifying properties of structured phospholipids from palm pressed fiber and omega-3 fatty acid concentrates from by-products of fish processing by enzymatic acidolysis

The synthesis of structured phospholipids (SPLs) containing ω-3 fatty acids was carried out through enzymatic acidolysis reactions using lipase from Rhizomucor miehei between palm pressed fiber phospholipids (PPF PL) with four ω-3 fatty acid concentrates as different acyl sources. The purity of SPLs increased compared to original PPF PLs. The degree of ω-3 fatty acid incorporation to the SPLs was different that depended on the sources of acyl. The highest degree of incorporation was in PE (phosphatidylethanolamine). The phenomenon of acyl migration of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) was found from the sn-1 to the sn-2 position of the PE. This acyl migration occurred at all four SPLs. Modification of PLs made better emulsifying properties for oil in water emulsion system, compared to PPF PL. The increase in the HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) value, EAI (emulsifying activity index), and ESI (emulsion stability index) of SPLs compared to PPF PL was supposed to relate to an increase in polarity. The composition of more polar PLs (PC/phosphatidylcholine, PE, PG/phosphatidylglycerol, and PA/phosphatidic acid) in the four SPLs is higher than that of PPF PL. The sources of acyl also affected the emulsifying properties of four SPLs.

Sphingoid bases of dietary ceramide 2-aminoethylphosphonate, a marine sphingolipid, absorb into lymph in rats

Various functions of dietary sphingolipids have been reported; however, little is known about marine sphingolipids. Ceramide 2-aminoethylphosphonate (CAEP), an abundant sphingolipid in marine mollusks, frequently has a unique triene type of sphingoid base [2-amino-9-methyl-4,8,10-octadecatriene-1,3-diol (d19:3)]. We previously reported that dietary CAEP prepared from the skin of squid was digested in the intestinal mucosa of mice via ceramides to yield free sphingoid bases. How dietary CAEP is then used in the body remains unclear. Here, we investigated the absorption of dietary CAEP using a lipid absorption assay on the lymph collected from rats with thoracic duct cannulation. Our results reveal that sphingoid bases derived from CAEP, including d16:1, d18:1, and d19:3, were detected in the lymph after administration of CAEP. Lymphatic recovery of d19:3 was lower than that of other sphingoid bases. A large fraction of the absorbed sphingoid bases was present as complex sphingolipids, whereas a smaller portion was present in the free form. Fatty acids in ceramide moieties found in the lymph were partially different from dietary CAEP, which indicates that sphingoid bases derived from CAEP could be, at least in part, resynthesized into complex sphingolipids. Future studies should elucidate the metabolism of sphingoid bases derived from CAEP.

Extrinsic plasmalogens suppress neuronal apoptosis in mouse neuroblastoma Neuro-2A cells: importance of plasmalogen molecular species

Plasmalogen, especially those having 22:6, suppressed neuronal apoptosisviadeath receptor and mitochondrial pathways. These mechanisms of action of plasmalogen may be responsible for regulation of membrane functions and second messenger production.

Dietary sphingolipids ameliorate disorders of lipid metabolism in Zucker fatty rats

Dietary sphingolipids (SL) inhibit colon carcinogenesis, reduce serum cholesterol, and improve skin barrier function and are considered to be "functional lipids". For comparative determination of the effects of SL with different chemical compositions on lipid metabolism and its related hepatic gene expression, Zucker fatty rats were fed pure sphingomyelin (SM) of animal origin and glucosylceramide (GC) of plant origin. After 45 days, the SM and GC diets led to significant reductions in hepatic lipid and plasma non-HDL cholesterol. Both SM and GC diets decreased plasma insulin levels, whereas only the GC diet increased the plasma adiponectin level. Hepatic gene expression analysis revealed increased expression of adiponectin receptor 2 (Adipor2), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha), and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (Pdk4). However, expression of stearoyl CoA desaturase (Scd1) was significantly decreased. These results suggest that dietary SL, even of different origins and chemical compositions, may prevent fatty liver and hypercholesterolemia through improvement of adiponectin signaling and consequent increases in insulin sensitivity.