Cyanobacteria biotechnology and its applications in human health
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Arefeh Abbasian,1 Ahmad Farhad Talebi,2 Sara Kabirnataj,3 Hamid Madanchi,4,*
1. Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Campus of New Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University, Semnan
2. Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Campus of New Sciences and Technologies, Semnan University, Semnan
3. Oilseeds Research and Development Company, sari
4. Department and Research Center of Medical Biotechnology, School of medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences - Drug Design and Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Biotechnology, Biotechnology Research Center, Pasteur Institute of Iran
- Introduction: Cyanobacteria are gram-negative bacteria that have been considered in recent decades due to their strong potential in the production of various therapeutical compounds and nutritious foods. Cyanobacteria have the potent capacity to adapt to the different environmental conditions as they grow and live in a variety of habitats, including extreme habitats. Additionally, their diverse conservation, biosynthetic mechanisms, and ability to symbiosis with a wide range of living creatures further make cyanobacteria capable of living in different environmental conditions. Because of their potential applications such as high biomass production, simple and cheap growth requirements and high growth rate compared to other photosynthetic organisms، valuable knowledge about cyanobacteria genome and ease of genetic manipulating as well as production of a wide range of their secondary metabolites they are one of the cost-effective goals for biotechnology.
- Methods: In this review article, we describe some of the bioactive properties of cyanobacteria after a literature review from reputable and up-to-date servers such as PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar. We also summarize the therapeutic potentials of cyanobacteria as a good natural source in biotechnological processes, citing examples of these properties.
- Results: Since growing human’s need to the production of novel medicine, such as new antibiotics, antivirals and food supplements is felt, natural reservoirs can be considered as a good source of bioactive metabolites for therapeutic goals. In recent years, due to the increase of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains, attention has been focused on new effective antibacterial compounds. Among these, the secondary metabolites produced by cyanobacteria with antimicrobial properties against Gram+ and Gram- bacteria can be mentioned. Polyketides, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), Alkaloids, terpenes, lipids and polyphenols are most important agents with antibacterial activity. Most polyketide antibiotics have been isolated from Nostoc species. Nostocyclyne A, cylindrofridin A, the carbamidocyclophanes are the members of polyketides family with antibiotics properties. Cyanobactins are small cyclic peptides with antibacterial activity. Kawaguchipeptins A and B are known examples of AMPs that isolated from Microcystis aeruginosa. Almost all antibacterial alkaloids isolated from cyanobacteria are indole containing compounds such as hapalindoles, hapalonamides, ambiguines and fischerindoles. Also, antibacterial terpenes from cyanobacteria have been reported. The first one is Diterpenoid noscomin that isolated in 1999 from Nostoc commune and exhibited activity against Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Escherichia coli. Studies also showed that Fischerella strain has the potential to produce a lipid bioactive named ɣ‐linolenic acid with antibacterial properties. Polyphenols isolated from Fischerella ambigua or ambigols A, B, and C displaied potent activity against several Gram+ bacteria strains.
Today The emergence of viral epidemics and the lack of sufficiently effective antiviruses is one of the human concerns. Specific species of cyanobacteria produce the antiviral compounds. For example, nostoflan has been detected in the Nostoc flagelliforme, which showed potent effects on influenza A virus, human cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus type-1. Cyanobacteria also produce a wide range of antifungal compounds such as scytophycin (an antifungal macrolide) that has been identified in Anabaena sp. Many produced antiprotozoal Compounds or anti-parasite from cyanobacteria show significant effects against protozoans for example it has been reported tow compounds named Calothrixins A and B detected in Calothrix species that show antiplasmodial activity. On the other hand, cyanobacteria produce bioactive compounds with anticancer activities as an example, cyanobacteria Symploca sp. produces a compound called Symplocamide that shows activity against H-460 lung cancer cell line.
Finally, it is important to mention that several cyanobacteria genera, such as Spirulina were also found to be rich source of nutrients, as proteins, essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals that can be used in food supplements. Also, some secondary metabolites and pigments produced by cyanobacteria have cosmetic properties and can be used in the production of UV protection, moisturizing, whitening and anti-aging agents.
- Conclusion: Cyanobacteria identified as a natural source of variable bioactive compounds such as secondary metabolites, peptides and proteins that have a various therapeutic property, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anticancer, antiprotozoal and anti-inflammatory. Cyanobacteria also can be used as a rich source of nutrients and cosmetics. Therefore, cyanobacteria can be used as an excellent source for medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology.
- Keywords: Bioactive compounds, Secondary Metabolite, Cyanobacteria, Antimicrobials
