Carotenoid characterization, fatty acid profiles, and antioxidant activities of haloarchaeal extracts.

Microorganisms that can survive in saline environments, known as halotolerant or halophilic organisms, have a wide range of current and potential uses in biotechnology. In this study, it was aimed to determine the carotenoids of halophilic archaea strains isolated from the brine samples taken from different points of Salt Lake (Turkey) and determine the antioxidant activities of their carotenoids. To identify the halophilic archaea strains, they were cultivated in MAM JCM 168 medium and subjected to antibiotic susceptibility, fatty acid, two-dimensional and three-dimensional imaging by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, biochemical and phylogenetic assays. The findings show that five different halophilic archaea strains have been identified as Halorubrum lipolyticum, Halorubrum sodomense, Haloarcula salaria, Halorubrum chaoviator, and Haloarcula japonica with 98% and above similarity ratio. The main fatty acids of all haloarchaeal strains were octadecanoic acid (C18:0) and palmitic acid (C16:0). The major carotenoid of the species was determined as all-trans bacterioruberin, and different carotenoid types such as lycopene, ß-carotene, and 2-isopentenyl-3,4-dehydrorodopin were found as well as bacterioruberin isomers. The antioxidant activities of carotenoids extracted from the species were analyzed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging method and the extracts showed antioxidant activity statistically significantly higher than ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxytoluene as reference products (p < 0.05).

C50 carotenoids extracted from Haloterrigena thermotolerans strain K15: antioxidant potential and identification.

Halophilic archaea are one of the microorganism groups that have adapted to living in high saline environments and are important in terms of their potential use in biotechnology industry. One of the most important compounds they have, carotenoid, is used in food, cosmetics, and medical industries. The selected strain was identified as an extremely halophilic and thermophilic archaeon, Haloterrigena thermotolerans K15, based on morphological, biochemical, and physiological evidence as well as 16S rRNA analysis and screened by a scanning electron microscope and an atomic force microscope for the first time. The carotenoid contents of H. thermotolerans K15 isolated from Salt Lake (Tuz Gölü, Turkey) were determined by RP-HPLC-DAD and their isomers were characterized according to UV-Vis spectra by cis peak intensity and spectral fine structure. In addition to all-trans bacterioruberin as a major carotenoid, many isomers of the bacterioruberin such as monoanhydrobacterioruberin and bisanhydrobacterioruberin were also found. The antioxidant activity of carotenoid extract from H. thermotolerans was analyzed by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging method. The carotenoid extract showed antioxidant activity statistically significantly higher than ascorbic acid and butylated hydroxytoluene as reference compounds (p < 0.05). This is the first study about carotenoid characterization and antioxidant activity of H. thermotolerans K15. The obtained results suggest the potential use of H. thermotolerans K15 products as a substitute for synthesized chemical carotenoids and antioxidants.

Physicochemical water quality of Karabel, Çalti, and Tohma brooks and blood biochemical parameters of Barbus plebejus fish: assessment of heavy metal concentrations for potential health risks.

The present study aims to comparatively examine the physical quality parameters of water samples taken from Karabel, Çalti, and Tohma brooks in Sivas province and the blood biochemical parameters of blood samples of Barbus plebejus fish obtained from these waters. In periods when chemical pollution in water increased and decreased, it was determined that GLU and UA among blood biochemical parameters were significantly affected. Moreover, the potential risk levels of lead (Pb), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd), and ferrous (Fe) for human health were compared to the international standards. Metal (Fe, Pb, Cu, and Cd) concentrations in the water were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The highest HQingestion values of Cd were found in Brook Çalti, which were 0.0018 for adults and 0.1980 for children. THQ upper limit set by the United States Environment Protection Agency (USEPA) is < 1. It was determined that HQingestion, HQdermal, and THQ values of all the heavy metals were much lower than this limit. It was concluded that water quality parameters of samples taken from Karabel, Çalti, and Tohma brooks on monthly basis for 12 months were not higher than the limits and the water qualities of brooks were determined to be "good".

Effects of dietary allspice, Pimenta dioica powder on physiological responses of Oreochromis mossambicus under low pH stress.

This study investigated the effects of the supplementation with allspice (0, 5, 10, 15, or 20 g kg(-1)) on the haemato-immunological and biochemical variables in tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus under acidic stress condition. In a 60-day feeding trial, 15 aquariums (80-L) were stocked with 18 fish (20.05 ± 0.10 g) each. Then, acidic stress was achieved by exposing the sampled fish to acidic water (pH 5.5) for 3 days. Allspice supplementation influenced the haematological indices, serum glucose, protein, globulin and innate immune parameters such as respiratory burst activity, lysozyme, and myeloperoxidase activities. In general, at acidic pH decreased circulating red blood cell numbers (RBC), increased mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and the innate immune parameters were observed. On the other hand, the inclusion of allspice prevented an increase in blood glucose MCV and MCH, decreases in albumin, RBC, lysozyme activity and respiratory burst avtivity. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that allspice supplementation at 10 g kg(-1) for 60 days, has adequate beneficial effects on improvement of haemato-immunological and biochemical status of O. mossambicus after stressful management.

The sexually dimorphic adipose fin is an androgen target tissue in the brown trout (Salmo trutta fario).

An investigation has been described on the relationship of body length, age and sex with adipose fin length and the number of androgen receptor (AR)-containing cells in the adipose fin as a secondary sexual characteristic for brown trout (Salmo trutta fario). Firstly, body and adipose fin lengths of 2- to 5-year-old brown trout were measured. Thereafter, these fish were killed by decapitation, then their sexes were determined, and adipose fins were excised. The cellular bases of AR binding activities in the adipose fins were analyzed with an antibody against human/rat AR peptide. Immunocytochemistry and western blotting techniques were performed with this antibody. Analysis of morphological measurements indicated that body length and age had a linear relationship with adipose fin length. The coefficients of determination for the body length and age were 0.92 and 0.85 in the male fish and 0.76 and 0.73 in the female fish against the adipose fin length, respectively. At 2 years of age, cells in the adipose fin did not exhibit AR immunoreactivity. However, AR-immunopositive cells were abundant in the adipose fin of 3- to 5-year-old fish. Moreover, the number of AR-immunopositive cells was significantly (P < 0.05) high in males and increased with age. These observations indicate that the adipose fin in the brown trout is a probable target for androgen action and that tissue function or development may to some extent be androgen dependent. In addition, it is likely that such an effect will be mediated by specific androgen receptors.

Preliminary assessment of dietary mannanoligosaccharides on growth performance and health status of gilthead seabream Sparus auratus.

A feeding trial was performed to assess the potential beneficial effect of two levels of mannanoligosaccarides (MOS) on the growth performance, feed utilization, hematological parameters, and liver histopathology of gilthead seabream Sparus auratus (also known as gilthead bream). Mannanoligosaccarides were added at the rates of 2 and 4 g/kg to a fish-meal-based control diet, and each diet was given (twice daily [midmorning and midafternoon] to apparent satiation) to triplicate groups of gilthead seabream growers (mean weight = approximately 170 g) in sea cages. The trial lasted 12 weeks, and the average ambient water temperature ranged from 19.6 degrees C to 24.7 degrees C during the experimental period. At the end of the experiment, fish attained market size (350-450 g) and their health status was evaluated by blood analysis and liver histology. There were no differences in survival rates among fish fed experimental diets. However, there were significant improvements in both growth and feed utilization among fish fed diets supplemented with MOS. Hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Ht) levels and erythrocyte, leukocyte, and thrombocyte (Thr) counts were unaffected by any dietary MOS. The levels of Hb (g/dL; mean +/- SD) and Ht (%; mean +/- SD) were 11.0 +/- 2.5 and 45.6 +/- 6.7 for the control group, 11.1 +/- 1.7 and 39.3 +/- 8.0 for the 2-g/kg group, and 11.2 +/- 1.9 and 40.2 +/- 8.4 for the 4-g/kg group. The mean Thr count ranged from 47.6 to 53.8 x 10(3)/mm3. Despite the apparently higher Thr counts for fish fed diets supplemented with MOS, these differences were not significant. Moreover, no histopathological differences were observed in liver tissue cross sections between control and treatment groups. These results suggest that supplementation of diets with MOS had no significant effects on general fish health.

Carbonic anhydrase activities from the rainbow trout lens correspond to the development of acute gas bubble disease.

Dissolved gas supersaturation is hazardous to fish and can result in gas bubble disease (GBD). Signs of GBD typically include bubbles in the eyes, fins, skin, lateral line, and gill filaments. Ocular abnormalities in diseased salmonids typically occur after aberrant gas production in the eyes. In this study, freshwater rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were exposed experimentally to percent total gas pressure (TGP%) levels of 104% (control) and 115%. No mortalities occurred during the 7-d experimental period. Effects of GBD were observed externally as a darkened skin, exophthalmia, localized hemorrhage in the eye, and gas bubbles on the operculum. Additional signs included increased swimming activity and, more frequently, panic episodes. Carbonic anhydrase (CA) enzyme activities from the lens and retina were determined at days 0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 of the study. Venous blood gases were also measured on day 7. Retinal pH did not differ between normal and affected fish, but blood characteristics such as the partial pressure of O2, partial pressure of CO2, carboxyhemoglobin level, and bicarbonate ion concentration were significantly elevated in affected fish relative to normal fish. Venous blood pH and oxyhemoglobin levels were not significantly different between affected and normal fish. Patterns of response to total dissolved gas levels differed between the lens and the retina. Mean CA activities in the lenses of fish exposed to a TGP% level of 115% were significantly below those of control fish. However, retinal CA activities did not significantly differ between the two groups over the course of the experiment. These findings show that dissolved gas supersaturation reduces CA activity in the rainbow trout lens.