An antifouling model from the sea: a review of 25 years of zosteric acid studies

Seagrass genomes reveal ancient polyploidy and adaptations to the marine environment

We present chromosome-level genome assemblies from representative species of three independently evolved seagrass lineages: Posidonia oceanica, Cymodocea nodosa, Thalassia testudinum and Zostera marina. We also include a draft genome of Potamogeton acutifolius, belonging to a freshwater sister lineage to Zosteraceae. All seagrass species share an ancient whole-genome triplication, while additional whole-genome duplications were uncovered for C. nodosa, Z. marina and P. acutifolius. Comparative analysis of selected gene families suggests that the transition from submerged-freshwater to submerged-marine environments mainly involved fine-tuning of multiple processes (such as osmoregulation, salinity, light capture, carbon acquisition and temperature) that all had to happen in parallel, probably explaining why adaptation to a marine lifestyle has been exceedingly rare. Major gene losses related to stomata, volatiles, defence and lignification are probably a consequence of the return to the sea rather than the cause of it. These new genomes will accelerate functional studies and solutions, as continuing losses of the 'savannahs of the sea' are of major concern in times of climate change and loss of biodiversity.

Epiphytic and endophytic microbiome of the seagrass Zostera marina: Do they contribute to pathogen reduction in seawater?

Seagrass meadows provide crucial ecosystem services for coastal environments and were shown to reduce the abundance of waterborne pathogens linked to infections in humans and marine organisms in their vicinity. Among potential drivers, seagrass phenolics released into seawater have been linked to pathogen suppression, but the potential involvement of the seagrass microbiome has not been investigated. We hypothesized that the microbiome of the eelgrass Zostera marina, especially the leaf epiphytes that are at direct interface between the seagrass host and the surrounding seawater, inhibit waterborne pathogens thereby contributing to their removal. Using a culture-dependent approach, we isolated 88 bacteria and fungi associated with the surfaces and inner tissues of the eelgrass leaves (healthy and decaying) and the roots. We assessed the antibiotic activity of microbial extracts against a large panel of common aquatic, human (fecal) and plant pathogens, and mined the metabolome of the most active extracts. The healthy leaf epibiotic bacteria, particularly Streptomyces sp. strain 131, displayed broad-spectrum antibiotic activity superior to some control drugs. Gram-negative bacteria abundant on healthy leaf surfaces, and few endosphere-associated bacteria and fungi also displayed remarkable activities. UPLC-MS/MS-based untargeted metabolomics analyses showed rich specialized metabolite repertoires with low annotation rates, indicating the presence of many undescribed antimicrobials in the extracts. This study contributes to our understanding on microbial and chemical ecology of seagrasses, implying potential involvement of the seagrass microbiome in suppression of pathogens in seawater. Such effect is beneficial for the health of ocean and human, especially in the context of climate change that is expected to exacerbate all infectious diseases. It may also assist future seagrass conservation and management strategies.

3,4-Dioxygenated xanthones as antifouling additives for marine coatings: in silico studies, seawater solubility, degradability, leaching, and antifouling performance

Marine biofouling pollution is a process that impacts ecosystems and the global economy. On the other hand, traditional antifouling (AF) marine coatings release persistent and toxic biocides that accumulate in sediments and aquatic organisms. To understand the putative impact on marine ecosystems of recently described and patented AF xanthones (xanthones 1 and 2), able to inhibit mussel settlement without acting as biocides, several in silico environmental fate predictions (bioaccumulation, biodegradation, and soil absorption) were calculated in this work. Subsequently, a degradation assay using treated seawater at different temperatures and light exposures was conducted for a period of 2 months to calculate their half-life (DT₅₀). Xanthone 2 was found to be non-persistent (DT₅₀ < 60 days) at 50 μM, contrary to xanthone 1 (DT₅₀ > 60 days). To evaluate the efficacy of both xanthones as AF agents, they were blended into four polymeric-based coating systems: polyurethane- and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based marine paints, as well as room-temperature-vulcanizing PDMS- and acrylic-based coatings. Despite their low water solubility, xanthones 1 and 2 demonstrated suitable leaching behaviors after 45 days. Overall, the generated xanthone-based coatings were able to decrease the attachment of the Mytilus galloprovincialis larvae after 40 h. This proof-of-concept and environmental impact evaluation will contribute to the search for truly environmental-friendly AF alternatives.

A Hydrophilic Sulfated Resveratrol Derivative for Topical Application: Sensitization and Anti-Allergic Potential

Resveratrol (RSV), a naturally occurring metabolite, is widely used in skincare products, but its hydrophobicity impairs its own incorporation into cosmetic formulations. RSV-GS is a synthetic hydrophilic sulfated glycosylated derivative inspired by marine natural products that present a lower cytotoxicity than RSV while exhibiting similar levels of bioactivity. Herein, we predict the skin sensitization potential of this new compound using an in vitro approach based on the OECD 442E guideline. Furthermore, the anti-allergic potential of RSV-GS was also disclosed. The monocyte THP-1 cell line was stimulated with RSV and RSV-GS in the presence or absence of the extreme skin allergen 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNFB). The results demonstrated that RSV-GS alone (500 µM) evoked a relative fluorescence index (RFI) lower than the thresholds established by the OECD guideline for CD54 (200%) and CD86 (150%), indicating the absence of a skin sensitization potential. Interestingly, in the presence of the skin allergen DNFB, RSV-GS exhibited the ability to rescue the DNFB-induced maturation of THP-1 cells, with RFI values lower than those for RSV, suggesting the potential of RSV-GS to mitigate skin sensitization evoked by allergens and, consequently, allergic contact dermatitis. These results open new avenues for the use of RSV-GS as a safe and anti-allergic active cosmetic ingredient.

Metabolic engineering of Escherichia coli for the production of an antifouling agent zosteric acid

Zosteric acid (ZA) is a Zostera species-derived, sulfated phenolic acid compound with antifouling activity and has gained much attention due to its nontoxic and biodegradable characteristics. However, the yield of Zostera species available for ZA extraction is limited by natural factors, such as season, latitude, light, and temperature. Here we report the development of metabolically engineered Escherichia coli strains capable of producing ZA from glucose and glycerol. First, intracellular availability of the sulfur donor 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) was enhanced by knocking out the cysH gene responsible for PAPS consumption and overexpressing the genes required for PAPS biosynthesis. Co-overexpression of the genes encoding tyrosine ammonia-lyase, sulfotransferase 1A1, ATP sulfurylase, and adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate kinase constructed ZA producing strain with enhanced PAPS supply. Second, the feedback-resistant forms of aroG and tyrA genes (encoding 3-deoxy-d-arabinoheptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase and chorismate mutase, respectively) were overexpressed to relieve the feedback regulation of L-tyrosine biosynthesis. Third, the pykA gene involved in phosphoenolpyruvate-consuming reaction, the regulator gene tyrR, the competing pathway gene pheA, and the ptsHIcrr genes essential for the PEP:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system were deleted. Moreover, all genes involved in the shikimate pathway and the talA, tktA, and tktB genes in the pentose phosphate pathway were examined for ZA production. The PTS-independent glucose uptake system, the expression vector system, and the carbon source were also optimized. As a result, the best-performing strain successfully produced 1.52 g L^-1 ZA and 1.30 g L^-1p-hydroxycinnamic acid from glucose and glycerol in a 700 mL fed-batch bioreactor.

Quantification of a Sulfated Marine-Inspired Antifouling Compound in Several Aqueous Matrices: Biodegradation Studies and Leaching Assays from Polydimethylsiloxane Coatings

The development of marine-inspired compounds as non-toxic antifouling (AF) agents has been pursued in the last years. Sulfur is the third most common element in seawater. Sulfur is present in oxygenated seawater as sulfate anion (SO₄²⁻), which is the most stable combination of sulfur in seawater, and several promising AF secondary metabolites with sulfate groups have been described. However, sulfated compounds proved to be an analytical challenge to quantify by HPLC. Taking these facts into consideration, this work presents the development and validation of a method for the quantification of gallic acid persulfate (GAP) in seawater and ultrapure water matrix, based on hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). This method was used to evaluate GAP stability following several abiotic and biotic degradation assays, and to quantify its release in seawater from room-temperature-vulcanizing polydimethylsiloxane commercial coating. GAP was very stable in several water matrices, even at different pH values and in the presence/absence of marine microorganisms and presented a leaching value lower than 0.5%. This work discloses HILIC as an analytical method to overcome the difficulties in quantifying sulfated compounds in water matrices and highlights the potential of GAP as a promising long-lasting coating.

The degradation and environmental risk of camptothecin, a promising marine antifoulant

Given the adverse environmental impacts of the antifoulants currently used in marine antifouling paints, such as copper and booster biocides, it is urgent to identify potential substitutes that are environmentally benign. Here, we examined the degradation of camptothecin (a natural product previously identified as an efficient antifoulant in the laboratory and in the field) under various conditions and evaluated the environmental risks associated with its use as a marine antifoulant. We found that camptothecin was rapidly photolyzed in seawater: the half-life of camptothecin was less than 1 d under a light intensity of 1000-20,000 lx and was approximately 0.17 d under sunlight irradiation. At pH 4 and pH 7, camptothecin had half-lives of 30.13 and 16.90 d, respectively; at 4 °C, 25 °C, and 35 °C, the half-lives of camptothecin were 23.90, 21.66, and 26.65 d, respectively. Camptothecin biodegradation in seawater was negligible. The predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) of camptothecin was 2.19 × 10^-1 μg L^-1, while the average predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) in open seas, shipping lanes, commercial harbors, and marinas were 6.14 × 10^-7, 9.39 × 10^-7, 6.80 × 10^-3, and 5.03 × 10^-2 μg L^-1, respectively. The PEC/PNEC ratio of camptothecin was much lower than 1 (i.e., 2.80 × 10^-6, 4.29 × 10^-6, 3.11 × 10^-2, and 2.30 × 10^-1 for open seas, shipping lanes, commercial harbors, and marinas, respectively), indicating that the use of camptothecin as a marine antifoulant posed little environmental risk.

The Efficiency of Biocidal Silica Nanosystems for the Conservation of Stone Monuments: Comparative In Vitro Tests against Epilithic Green Algae

In the last decade, worldwide research has focused on innovative natural biocides and the development of organic and inorganic nanomaterials for long-lasting reliability. In this work, the biocide effects of two different biocides encapsulated in two different silica nanosystems for a multifunctional coating have been performed through in vitro tests, by using Chlorococcum sp. as a common stone biodeteriogen. Zosteric sodium salt (ZS), a green biocide, was compared with the commercial biocide, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT), widely used in the treatment of cultural heritage. The analyzed systems are the following: silica nanocapsules (NC) and silica nanoparticles (MNP) not loaded with biocides, two nanosystems loaded with ZS and MBT, and free biocides. The qualitative and quantitative evaluations of biocide efficiency were performed periodically, analyzing pigment autofluorescence to discriminate between active and inactive/dead cells. The analyses showed multiple differences. All the nanocontainers presented an initial reduction in chlorophyll’s autofluorescence. For the free biocide, the results highlighted higher efficiency for MBT than ZS. Finally, the nanosystems loaded with the different biocides highlighted a higher activity for nanocontainers loaded with the commercial biocide than the green product, and better efficiency for MNP in comparison with NC.

From Natural Products to New Synthetic Small Molecules: A Journey through the World of Xanthones

This work reviews the contributions of the corresponding author (M.M.M.P.) and her research group to Medicinal Chemistry concerning the isolation from plant and marine sources of xanthone derivatives as well as their synthesis, biological/pharmacological activities, formulation and analytical applications. Although her group activity has been spread over several chemical families with relevance in Medicinal Chemistry, the main focus of the investigation and research has been in the xanthone family. Xanthone derivatives have a variety of activities with great potential for therapeutic applications due to their versatile framework. The group has contributed with several libraries of xanthones derivatives, with a variety of activities such as antitumor, anticoagulant, antiplatelet, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, and multidrug resistance reversal effects. Besides therapeutic applications, our group has also developed xanthone derivatives with analytical applications as chiral selectors for liquid chromatography and for maritime application as antifouling agents for marine paints. Chemically, it has been challenging to afford green chemistry methods and achieve enantiomeric purity of chiral derivatives. In this review, the structures of the most significant compounds will be presented.

One Step Forward towards the Development of Eco-Friendly Antifouling Coatings: Immobilization of a Sulfated Marine-Inspired Compound

Marine biofouling represents a global economic and ecological challenge and few eco-friendly antifouling agents are available. The aim of this work was to establish the proof of concept that a recently synthesized nature-inspired compound (gallic acid persulfate, GAP) can act as an eco-friendly and effective antifoulant when immobilized in coatings through a non-release strategy, promoting a long-lasting antifouling effect. The synthesis of GAP was optimized to provide quantitative yields. GAP water solubility was assessed, showing values higher than 1000 mg/mL. GAP was found to be stable in sterilized natural seawater with a half-life (DT₅₀) of 7 months. GAP was immobilized into several commercial coatings, exhibiting high compatibility with different polymeric matrices. Leaching assays of polydimethylsiloxane and polyurethane-based marine coatings containing GAP confirmed that the chemical immobilization of GAP was successful, since releases up to fivefold lower than the conventional releasing systems of polyurethane-based marine coatings were observed. Furthermore, coatings containing immobilized GAP exhibited the most auspicious anti-settlement effect against Mytilus galloprovincialis larvae for the maximum exposure period (40 h) in laboratory trials. Overall, GAP promises to be an agent capable of improving the antifouling activity of several commercial marine coatings with desirable environmental properties.

Targeting antimicrobial drug resistance with marine natural products

The rise and spread of antimicrobial resistance represents one of the most pressing health issues of today. Antimicrobial resistance in micro-organisms can arise due to a multiplicity of factors, including permeability changes in the cell membrane, increase of drug efflux pumps, enzymatic modification or inactivation of the antibiotic, target site modification, alternative metabolic pathways and biofilm formation. The marine environment is a valuable source of diverse natural products with a huge variety of biological activities. Among them, antimicrobial compounds show promising biological activities against numerous drug-resistant bacteria and fungi, making marine natural products a very promising resource in the search for novel antimicrobial agents. This review summarises the state-of-art of marine natural products with antibacterial and antifungal properties against drug-resistant micro-organisms. These natural products were categorised based on their chemical structure, and their respective sources and activities are highlighted. The chemical diversity associated with these marine-derived molecules is enormous, including peptides, polyketides, alkaloids, sterols, terpenoids, lactones, halogenated compounds, nucleosides, etc., some of which have rare substructures. Some of the marine compounds mentioned do not have intrinsic antimicrobial activity but potentiate the antimicrobial effect of other antimicrobials via inhibition of efflux pumps. Although these agents are still in preclinical studies, evidence of their in vivo efficacy suggest research of new drugs from the ocean to overcome antimicrobial resistance in order to fulfil an unmet medical need.

Overcoming environmental problems of biocides: Synthetic bile acid derivatives as a sustainable alternative

Marine biofouling represents a global economic and ecological challenge. Some marine organisms produce bioactive metabolites, such as steroids, that inhibit the settlement and growth of fouling organisms. The aim of this work was to explore bile acids as a new scaffold with antifouling (AF) activity by using chemical synthesis to produce a series of bile acid derivatives with optimized AF performance and understand their structure-activity relationships. Seven bile acid derivatives were successfully synthesized in moderate to high yields, and their structures were elucidated through spectroscopic methods. Their AF activities were tested against both macro- and microfouling communities. The most potent bile acid against the settlement of Mytilus galloprovincialis larvae was the methyl ester derivative of cholic acid (10), which showed an EC₅₀ of 3.7 μM and an LC₅₀/EC₅₀ > 50 (LC₅₀ > 200 μM) in AF effectiveness vs toxicity studies. Two derivatives of deoxycholic acid (5 and 7) potently inhibited the growth of biofilm-forming marine bacteria with EC₅₀ values < 10 μM, and five bile acids (1, 5, and 7-9) potently inhibited the growth of diatoms, showing EC₅₀ values between 3 and 10 μM. Promising AF profiles were achieved with some of the synthesized bile acids by combining antimacrofouling and antimicrofouling activities. Initial studies on the incorporation of one of these promising bile acid derivatives in polymeric coatings, such as a marine paint, demonstrated the ability of these compounds to generate coatings with antimacrofouling activity.

Sulfated Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics as Novel Drug Discovery Platform for Various Pathologies

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are very complex, natural anionic polysaccharides. They are polymers of repeating disaccharide units of uronic acid and hexosamine residues. Owing to their template-free, spatiotemporally-controlled, and enzyme-mediated biosyntheses, GAGs possess enormous polydispersity, heterogeneity, and structural diversity which often translate into multiple biological roles. It is well documented that GAGs contribute to physiological and pathological processes by binding to proteins including serine proteases, serpins, chemokines, growth factors, and microbial proteins. Despite advances in the GAG field, the GAG-protein interface remains largely unexploited by drug discovery programs. Thus, Non-Saccharide Glycosaminoglycan Mimetics (NSGMs) have been rationally developed as a novel class of sulfated molecules that modulate GAG-protein interface to promote various biological outcomes of substantial benefit to human health. In this review, we describe the chemical, biochemical, and pharmacological aspects of recently reported NSGMs and highlight their therapeutic potentials as structurally and mechanistically novel anti-coagulants, anti-cancer agents, anti-emphysema agents, and anti-viral agents. We also describe the challenges that complicate their advancement and describe ongoing efforts to overcome these challenges with the aim of advancing the novel platform of NSGMs to clinical use.

Production of zosteric acid and other sulfated phenolic biochemicals in microbial cell factories

Biological production and application of a range of organic compounds is hindered by their limited solubility and toxicity. This work describes a process for functionalization of phenolic compounds that increases solubility and decreases toxicity. We achieve this by screening a wide range of sulfotransferases for their activity towards a range of compounds, including the antioxidant resveratrol. We demonstrate how to engineer cell factories for efficiently creating sulfate esters of phenolic compounds through the use of sulfotransferases and by optimization of sulfate uptake and sulfate nucleotide pathways leading to the 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfate precursor (PAPS). As an example we produce the antifouling agent zosteric acid, which is the sulfate ester of p-coumaric acid, reaching a titer of 5 g L⁻¹ in fed-batch fermentation. The described approach enables production of sulfate esters that are expected to provide new properties and functionalities to a wide range of application areas.

Toxicity and limited solubility inhibits the biological production of many organic compounds. Here the authors metabolically engineer sulfate uptake and activation in order to produce sulfate esters of phenolic compounds, such as zosteric acid, thereby addressing these issues.

Anti-Bacterial Adhesion Activity of Tropical Microalgae Extracts

The evolution of regulations concerning biocidal products aimed towards an increased protection of the environment (e.g., EU Regulation No 528/2012) requires the development of new non-toxic anti-fouling (AF) systems. As the marine environment is an important source of inspiration, such AF systems inhibiting the adhesion of organisms without any toxicity could be based on molecules of natural origin. In this context, the antibiofilm potential of tropical microalgal extracts was investigated. The tropics are particularly interesting in terms of solar energy and temperatures which provide a wide marine diversity and a high production of microalgae. Twenty microalgal strains isolated from the Indian Ocean were studied. Their extracts were characterized in terms of global chemical composition by high resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, toxicity against marine bacteria (viability and growth) and anti-adhesion effect. The different observations made by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed a significant activity of three extracts from Dinoflagellate strains against the settlement of selected marine bacteria without any toxicity at a concentration of 50 μg/mL. The Symbiodinium sp. (P-78) extract inhibited the adhesion of Bacillus sp. 4J6 (Atlantic Ocean), Shewanella sp. MVV1 (Indian Ocean) and Pseudoalteromonas lipolytica TC8 (Mediterranean Ocean) at 60, 76 and 52%, respectively. These results underlined the potential of using microalgal extracts to repel fouling organisms.