ROLE/PRODUCTION OF BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SECONDARY METABOLITES FROM MARINE ALGAE

一些加勒比海海藻的脂溶性提取物 证明了生物活性。 高变异性 在这些次级代谢产物的合成中的作用已经得到证实。 目前对合成和条件知之甚少， 控制或影响其生产。 我们已经隔离到实验室 培养ceramialean红藻的种类， 具有抗菌活性。 人工栽培的植物 证明了产生具有自考酸性质的类二十烷酸化合物， 哺乳动物系统 这些红藻是一个潜在的重要来源 类二十烷酸，可用作研究生化物质，以加快我们的 了解它们在哺乳动物系统中发挥的生理作用。 这些化合物在生物体中所起的生理作用， 它们的生产几乎完全未知。 主要目标是 在受控培养条件下测定那些物理和/或 控制或影响活性物质生产的化学因素 次级代谢产物，并通过实验室操作确定 类花生酸化合物在红藻中所起的生理作用。 次要目的是确定哪些次级代谢产物是 负责抗生素活性和化学表征 这些化合物。

Lipid soluble extracts of a number of Caribbean marine algae demonstrating biological activity have been identified. High variability in the synthesis of these secondary metabolites has been demonstrated. Presently little is known about the synthesis and conditions which control or influence their production. We have isolated into laboratory culture species of ceramialean red algae which have previously been shown to possess antimicrobial activities. Cultured plants have been demonstrated to produce eicosanoid compounds with autacoid properties in mammalian systems. These red algae are a potentially important source of eicosanoids which may be used as research biochemicals to expedite our understanding of the physiological roles they play in mammalian systems. The physiological role played by these compounds in the organisms that produce them are almost entirely unknown. Key objectives are to determine under controlled culture conditions those physical and/or chemical factors which control or influence the production of the active secondary metabolites and by laboratory manipulation determine the physiological role(s) played by eicosanoid compounds in a red algae. Secondary objectives are to determine which secondary metabolites are responsible for the antibiotic activity and to chemically characterize those compounds.