Simona Armeli Minicante | Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) (original) (raw)

Papers by Simona Armeli Minicante

Research paper thumbnail of Habitat Heterogeneity and Connectivity: Effects on the Planktonic Protist Community Structure at Two Adjacent Coastal Sites (the Lagoon and the Gulf of Venice, Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy) Revealed by Metabarcoding

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2019

The Lagoon of Venice (LoV) and the Gulf of Venice (GoV), two adjacent coastal Long Term Ecologica... more The Lagoon of Venice (LoV) and the Gulf of Venice (GoV), two adjacent coastal Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites in the northern Adriatic Sea, represent a transitional/marine coupled ecosystem under the influence of regional and local factors. In this study, these sites were sampled on four dates from April 2016 to February 2017 for environmental DNA and relevant abiotic variables, aiming to assess the relative importance of habitat heterogeneity and connectivity in structuring the protist community. High Throughput Sequencing of V4-18S rRNA gene from 56 samples collected at seven stations produced ca 6 million reads, grouped into 7,336 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) at 97% similarity, which were affiliated to protists belonging to 34 taxonomic groups. The whole community was dominated by Bacillariophyta, especially in spring-summer in the LoV, and by Dinophyta, mainly in the GoV. Ciliophora, Syndiniales, and Cryptophyceae were the next more abundant groups. The community structure varied across the seasons and was different in the two ecosystems, which shared 96% of the reads but showed a high proportion of OTUs distributed preferentially in one of the two sites (specialists) and a different partitioning of trophic categories. GoV specialists were mainly Dinophyceae (>56%), followed by Syndiniales and Bacillariophyta, while the LoV specialists were distributed among several groups, including Bacillariophyta, Syndiniales, Ciliophora, Cryptophyceae, and Trebouxiophyceae. The main abiotic drivers of the differences between protist communities were salinity and temperature, which however explained a minor part of the variance (17%), pointing at a higher relevance of biotic factors and inter-taxa relationships. This was more evident in the LoV, where the network analysis highlighted a higher number of OTUs' connections than in the GoV. Overall, the metabarcoding Frontiers in Microbiology | www.frontiersin.org 1

Research paper thumbnail of DNA barcoding sheds light on novel records in the Tunisian red algal flora

Cryptogamie Algologie , 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Natural science collections produced by marine environmental research: from sample to the web

Research paper thumbnail of A DNA barcoding survey of Ulva (Chlorophyta) in Tunisia and Italy reveals the presence of the overlooked alien U. ohnoi

Cryptogamie Algologie, 2018

The cosmopolitan genus Ulva Linnaeus includes species of green macroalgae found in marine, bracki... more The cosmopolitan genus Ulva Linnaeus includes species of green macroalgae found in marine, brackish and some freshwater environments. Although there is a wide literature for the determination of Ulva taxa in Europe, they are among the most problematic algae to accurately identify, because they have few distinctive features, as well as a high intraspecific variation. At present, the knowledge of both diversity and distribution of the genus Ulva in the Mediterranean Sea is almost entirely based on morphological studies and there is only a few published papers dealing with molecular data. Tunisia has a key position in the Mediterranean and constitutes a transition area with a rich habitat diversity between eastern and western basins. The latest inventory of marine macrophytes dates back to 1987, updated in 1995. The aim of the present paper is to provide a molecular-assisted alpha taxonomy survey of Ulva spp. along Tunisian coasts, in comparison with a few Italian sites, using the tufA marker. Nine genetic species groups were resolved, including the non indigenous species Ulva ohnoi, newly reported for Tunisia. The actual picture of the taxonomy of Ulva spp. in the Mediterranean as a whole is far to be clarified and the present data on Tunisian collections aim to be a step towards its clarification. This paper is the first DNA barcoding study on green macroalgae in Tunisia and it contributes to add records to the Barcode Of Life Data Systems which are publically available.

Research paper thumbnail of Journal of Library Metadata Building a Natural and Cultural Heritage Repository for the Storage and Dissemination of Knowledge: The Algarium Veneticum and the Archivio di Studi Adriatici Case Study

Journal of Library Metadata, 2017

The Archivio di Studi Adriatici (ASA) is a repository of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR-... more The Archivio di Studi Adriatici (ASA) is a repository of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR-CNR) of Venice. The ASA repository, completely open source and open access, hosts natural collections, heritage books, documents, and maps of the Institute of Marine Sciences. It was developed following the discovery of a historical algal collection at the Biblioteca Storica di Studi Adriatici of Venice. This collection, after having been catalogued, has been digitized with a digital planetary scanner. Digitized specimens and metadata, compiled using Dublin Core and Simple Darwin Core formats, are hosted on a website, based on Fedora Repository and Islandora framework.

Research paper thumbnail of Potential Antibacterial Activity of Marine Macroalgae against Pathogens Relevant for Aquaculture and Human Health

Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 2017

The exploitation of macroalgal biomass, as a source of antibacterial drugs, would result into the... more The exploitation of macroalgal biomass, as a source of antibacterial drugs, would result into the valuable transformation of waste into an economic resource. Ethanol and water extractsor polysaccharides, from nine DNA-barcoded macroalgae (2 Chlorophyta, 5 Ochrophyta and 2 Rhodophyta) collected from Italian coastal environments, were screened for antibacterial activity against ten bacterial pathogens with relevance for aquaculture and human health. All extracts have not cytotoxic effects on molluscan digestive gland cells and mammalian red blood cells. As resulted by agar diffusion assays, water extracts showed broader and higher inhibitory activity than ethanol extracts against the tested pathogens. Polysaccharides from Fucus virsoides (Ochrophyta) possessed the strongest inhibitory activity against Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida and Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae, an emergent pathogen for humans.Polysaccharides from Undaria pinnatifida (Ochrophyta)were the most active against V. harveyi, the major pathogen responsible for diseases in aquaculture, and also against a multiresistant, clinical strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results suggest that these polysaccharides could represent a novel source of compounds active against bacterial pathogens relevant for eco-sustainable aquaculture and human health.

Research paper thumbnail of Preliminary Results On the Efficacy of Macroalgal Extracts Against Larvae of Aedes albopictus

Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Bioactivity of Phycocolloids against the Mediterranean Protozoan Leishmania infantum: An Inceptive Study

Sustainability, 2016

Sulfated polysaccharides from marine macroalgae have been shown to possess a variety of biologica... more Sulfated polysaccharides from marine macroalgae have been shown to possess a variety of biological activities against fungi, bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. In this study, the in vitro activity of algal polysaccharides against Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) was investigated. The polysaccharides were extracted from different macroalgae of the Mediterranean Sea: Chaetomorpha linum, Agardhiella subulata, Gracilaria viridis, Gracilaria bursa-pastoris, Hypnea cornuta, Sargassum muticum, and Undaria pinnatifida. Preliminary results showed a good anti-leishmanial activity of the investigated species, encouraging the focus on their use as natural resources in order to match integrated management strategies for the employment of local macroalgae.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of an eco-protocol for seaweed chlorophylls extraction and possible applications in dye sensitized solar cells

Journal of Physics D Applied Physics, 2016

Seaweeds are a reserve of natural dyes (chlorophylls a, b and c), characterized by low cost and e... more Seaweeds are a reserve of natural dyes (chlorophylls a, b and c), characterized by low cost and easy supply, without potential environmental load in terms of land subtraction, and also complying with the requirements of an efficient waste management policy. In particular, the brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida is a species largely present in the Venice Lagoon area, and for it a removal strategy is actually mandatory. In this paper, we set-up an eco-protocol for the best extraction and preparation procedures of the pigment, with the aim of finding an easy and affordable method for chlorophyll c extraction, exploring at the same time the possibility of using these algae within local sustainable management integrated strategies, among which the possible use of chlorophylls as a dye source in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is investigated. Experimental results suggest that the developed protocols are useful to optimize the chlorophyll c extraction, as shown by optical absorption spectroscopy measurements. The DSSCs built with the chlorophyll extracted by the proposed eco-protocol exhibit solar energy conversion efficiencies are similar to those obtained following extraction protocols with larger environmental impacts.

Research paper thumbnail of Effectiveness of red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis extracts against Leishmania infantum

Open Life Sciences, 2015

Leishmaniasis is a disease with a worldwide distribution affecting both humans and animals. There... more Leishmaniasis is a disease with a worldwide distribution affecting both humans and animals. There is a need to identify and develop new drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis. This study showed that crude ethanolic extracts of the red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis have a powerful effect against L. infantum, the prevalent species of the genus Leishmania in the Mediterranean basin. L. infantum demonstrated decreased vitality with increasing concentration of the algal extracts. At a concentration of 40 μg/mL, the extracts achieved 100% mortality of the parasite and the LD50 value was 25 μg/mL for promastigotes and 9 μg/mL for amastigotes. Algal extracts caused morphological alterations and apoptosis in Leishmania cells. The potential cytotoxic action of crude extracts was investigated by a MTT viability assay on DH82 and Vero cell lines but there was no cytotoxic effect. The potential of red alga A. taxiformis metabolites as anti-leishmanial agents merits further pharmacological investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of Algal chlorophylls for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Research paper thumbnail of Two new alien macroalgae identified by the DNA barcoding

Biol. Mar. Mediterr. , 2014

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro assessment of the effect of Undaria pinnatifida extracts on erythrocytes membrane integrity and blood coagulation parameters of Equus caballus

Journal of Coastal Life Medicine, 2014

Objective: To study the activity of polysaccharides extracted from Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnat... more Objective: To study the activity of polysaccharides extracted from Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) in vitro on red blood cell of Equus caballus, and compare it with heparin. Methods: Algal extracts was tested at two different concentrations 10 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL. In all studies, using horse red blood cells, control experiments were carried out without extract. We evaluated the toxicity of algal extracts through trypan blue test and haemolysis test and anticoagulant action measured by activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and fibrinogen test. Results: The polysaccharide extract of U. pinnatifida appeared to have no cytotoxic effect on the horse red blood cells. The values of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen were significantly changed in the presence of the extract. Conclusions: This study suggests a possible exploitation of U. pinnatifida, thriving in the lagoon of Venice, as a source of anticoagulant drug, with the aim of transforming waste into a valuable biomass.

Research paper thumbnail of Potential Use of Polysaccharides from the Brown Alga Undaria pinnatifida as Anticoagulants

Faggio C., Morabito M., Armeli Minicante S., Lo Piano G., Pagano M., Genovese G.

Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) is a highly invasive species and has caused concern all over... more Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) is a highly invasive species and has caused concern all over the world because it has invaded coastal environments, has the potential to displace native species, significantly alters habitat for associated fauna, and disturbs navigation. Any attempt to eradicate it would be futile, owing to the elusive, microscopic gametophyte, and because the alga thrives in sites rich in anthropic activities. Venice Lagoon is the largest Mediterranean transitional environment and the spot of the highest introduction of non-indigenous species, including U. pinnatifida, which is removed as a waste. We demonstrated that polysaccharide extracts from U. pinnatifida have an anticoagulant effect on human blood in vitro and are not cytotoxic. The results obtained by PT (normal values 70-120%) and APTT (normal values 28-40s) assays were significantly prolonged by the polysaccharide extracts of U. pinnatifida, therefore algal extracts are ideal candidates as antithrombotic agents.

Research paper thumbnail of Brown seaweed pigment as a dye source for photoelectrochemical solar cells

Chlorophylls based-dyes obtained from seaweeds represent attractive alternatives to the expensive... more Chlorophylls based-dyes obtained from seaweeds represent attractive alternatives to the expensive and polluting pyridil based Ru complexes because of their abundance in nature. Another important characteristic is that the algae don’t subtract either cropland or agricultural water, therefore don’t conflict with agro-food sector. This pigment shows a typical intense absorption in the UV/blue (Soret band) and a less intense band in the red/near IR (Q band) spectral regions and for these reasons appear very promising as sensitizer dyes for DSSC. In the present study, we utilized chlorophylls from samples of the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida as sensitizer in DSSCs. The dye, extracted by frozen seaweeds and used without any chemical purification, showed a very good fill factor (0.69). Even the photelectrochemical parameters if compared with the existent literature are very interesting.

Research paper thumbnail of The Mediterranean red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis has antifungal activity against Aspergillus species

Mycoses, 2013

The red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis collected from the Straits of Messina (Italy) were screened... more The red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis collected from the Straits of Messina (Italy) were screened for antifungal activity against Aspergillus species. EUCAST methodology was applied and extracts showed antifungal activity against A. fumigatus, A. terreus and A. flavus. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations observed were <0.15 mg ml(-1) and the highest were >5 mg ml(-1) for Aspergillus spp. tested. Agar diffusion assays confirmed antifungal activity of A. taxiformis extracts in Aspergillus species.

Research paper thumbnail of Alien Seaweeds as Potential Resources Against Leishmaniasis Desease

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of the Antiprotozoal Activity of Asparagopsis Extracts Against Leishmania Infantum

European Journal of Phycology , 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of alien species in two Italian coastal lagoons using the DNA barcoding tool

5th European Phycological Congress, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring and deepening the use of algal chlorophylls into Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Research paper thumbnail of Habitat Heterogeneity and Connectivity: Effects on the Planktonic Protist Community Structure at Two Adjacent Coastal Sites (the Lagoon and the Gulf of Venice, Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy) Revealed by Metabarcoding

Frontiers in Microbiology, 2019

The Lagoon of Venice (LoV) and the Gulf of Venice (GoV), two adjacent coastal Long Term Ecologica... more The Lagoon of Venice (LoV) and the Gulf of Venice (GoV), two adjacent coastal Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) sites in the northern Adriatic Sea, represent a transitional/marine coupled ecosystem under the influence of regional and local factors. In this study, these sites were sampled on four dates from April 2016 to February 2017 for environmental DNA and relevant abiotic variables, aiming to assess the relative importance of habitat heterogeneity and connectivity in structuring the protist community. High Throughput Sequencing of V4-18S rRNA gene from 56 samples collected at seven stations produced ca 6 million reads, grouped into 7,336 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) at 97% similarity, which were affiliated to protists belonging to 34 taxonomic groups. The whole community was dominated by Bacillariophyta, especially in spring-summer in the LoV, and by Dinophyta, mainly in the GoV. Ciliophora, Syndiniales, and Cryptophyceae were the next more abundant groups. The community structure varied across the seasons and was different in the two ecosystems, which shared 96% of the reads but showed a high proportion of OTUs distributed preferentially in one of the two sites (specialists) and a different partitioning of trophic categories. GoV specialists were mainly Dinophyceae (>56%), followed by Syndiniales and Bacillariophyta, while the LoV specialists were distributed among several groups, including Bacillariophyta, Syndiniales, Ciliophora, Cryptophyceae, and Trebouxiophyceae. The main abiotic drivers of the differences between protist communities were salinity and temperature, which however explained a minor part of the variance (17%), pointing at a higher relevance of biotic factors and inter-taxa relationships. This was more evident in the LoV, where the network analysis highlighted a higher number of OTUs' connections than in the GoV. Overall, the metabarcoding Frontiers in Microbiology | www.frontiersin.org 1

Research paper thumbnail of DNA barcoding sheds light on novel records in the Tunisian red algal flora

Cryptogamie Algologie , 2019

Research paper thumbnail of Natural science collections produced by marine environmental research: from sample to the web

Research paper thumbnail of A DNA barcoding survey of Ulva (Chlorophyta) in Tunisia and Italy reveals the presence of the overlooked alien U. ohnoi

Cryptogamie Algologie, 2018

The cosmopolitan genus Ulva Linnaeus includes species of green macroalgae found in marine, bracki... more The cosmopolitan genus Ulva Linnaeus includes species of green macroalgae found in marine, brackish and some freshwater environments. Although there is a wide literature for the determination of Ulva taxa in Europe, they are among the most problematic algae to accurately identify, because they have few distinctive features, as well as a high intraspecific variation. At present, the knowledge of both diversity and distribution of the genus Ulva in the Mediterranean Sea is almost entirely based on morphological studies and there is only a few published papers dealing with molecular data. Tunisia has a key position in the Mediterranean and constitutes a transition area with a rich habitat diversity between eastern and western basins. The latest inventory of marine macrophytes dates back to 1987, updated in 1995. The aim of the present paper is to provide a molecular-assisted alpha taxonomy survey of Ulva spp. along Tunisian coasts, in comparison with a few Italian sites, using the tufA marker. Nine genetic species groups were resolved, including the non indigenous species Ulva ohnoi, newly reported for Tunisia. The actual picture of the taxonomy of Ulva spp. in the Mediterranean as a whole is far to be clarified and the present data on Tunisian collections aim to be a step towards its clarification. This paper is the first DNA barcoding study on green macroalgae in Tunisia and it contributes to add records to the Barcode Of Life Data Systems which are publically available.

Research paper thumbnail of Journal of Library Metadata Building a Natural and Cultural Heritage Repository for the Storage and Dissemination of Knowledge: The Algarium Veneticum and the Archivio di Studi Adriatici Case Study

Journal of Library Metadata, 2017

The Archivio di Studi Adriatici (ASA) is a repository of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR-... more The Archivio di Studi Adriatici (ASA) is a repository of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR-CNR) of Venice. The ASA repository, completely open source and open access, hosts natural collections, heritage books, documents, and maps of the Institute of Marine Sciences. It was developed following the discovery of a historical algal collection at the Biblioteca Storica di Studi Adriatici of Venice. This collection, after having been catalogued, has been digitized with a digital planetary scanner. Digitized specimens and metadata, compiled using Dublin Core and Simple Darwin Core formats, are hosted on a website, based on Fedora Repository and Islandora framework.

Research paper thumbnail of Potential Antibacterial Activity of Marine Macroalgae against Pathogens Relevant for Aquaculture and Human Health

Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology, 2017

The exploitation of macroalgal biomass, as a source of antibacterial drugs, would result into the... more The exploitation of macroalgal biomass, as a source of antibacterial drugs, would result into the valuable transformation of waste into an economic resource. Ethanol and water extractsor polysaccharides, from nine DNA-barcoded macroalgae (2 Chlorophyta, 5 Ochrophyta and 2 Rhodophyta) collected from Italian coastal environments, were screened for antibacterial activity against ten bacterial pathogens with relevance for aquaculture and human health. All extracts have not cytotoxic effects on molluscan digestive gland cells and mammalian red blood cells. As resulted by agar diffusion assays, water extracts showed broader and higher inhibitory activity than ethanol extracts against the tested pathogens. Polysaccharides from Fucus virsoides (Ochrophyta) possessed the strongest inhibitory activity against Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida and Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae, an emergent pathogen for humans.Polysaccharides from Undaria pinnatifida (Ochrophyta)were the most active against V. harveyi, the major pathogen responsible for diseases in aquaculture, and also against a multiresistant, clinical strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Our results suggest that these polysaccharides could represent a novel source of compounds active against bacterial pathogens relevant for eco-sustainable aquaculture and human health.

Research paper thumbnail of Preliminary Results On the Efficacy of Macroalgal Extracts Against Larvae of Aedes albopictus

Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, 2017

Research paper thumbnail of Bioactivity of Phycocolloids against the Mediterranean Protozoan Leishmania infantum: An Inceptive Study

Sustainability, 2016

Sulfated polysaccharides from marine macroalgae have been shown to possess a variety of biologica... more Sulfated polysaccharides from marine macroalgae have been shown to possess a variety of biological activities against fungi, bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. In this study, the in vitro activity of algal polysaccharides against Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae) was investigated. The polysaccharides were extracted from different macroalgae of the Mediterranean Sea: Chaetomorpha linum, Agardhiella subulata, Gracilaria viridis, Gracilaria bursa-pastoris, Hypnea cornuta, Sargassum muticum, and Undaria pinnatifida. Preliminary results showed a good anti-leishmanial activity of the investigated species, encouraging the focus on their use as natural resources in order to match integrated management strategies for the employment of local macroalgae.

Research paper thumbnail of Development of an eco-protocol for seaweed chlorophylls extraction and possible applications in dye sensitized solar cells

Journal of Physics D Applied Physics, 2016

Seaweeds are a reserve of natural dyes (chlorophylls a, b and c), characterized by low cost and e... more Seaweeds are a reserve of natural dyes (chlorophylls a, b and c), characterized by low cost and easy supply, without potential environmental load in terms of land subtraction, and also complying with the requirements of an efficient waste management policy. In particular, the brown seaweed Undaria pinnatifida is a species largely present in the Venice Lagoon area, and for it a removal strategy is actually mandatory. In this paper, we set-up an eco-protocol for the best extraction and preparation procedures of the pigment, with the aim of finding an easy and affordable method for chlorophyll c extraction, exploring at the same time the possibility of using these algae within local sustainable management integrated strategies, among which the possible use of chlorophylls as a dye source in dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is investigated. Experimental results suggest that the developed protocols are useful to optimize the chlorophyll c extraction, as shown by optical absorption spectroscopy measurements. The DSSCs built with the chlorophyll extracted by the proposed eco-protocol exhibit solar energy conversion efficiencies are similar to those obtained following extraction protocols with larger environmental impacts.

Research paper thumbnail of Effectiveness of red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis extracts against Leishmania infantum

Open Life Sciences, 2015

Leishmaniasis is a disease with a worldwide distribution affecting both humans and animals. There... more Leishmaniasis is a disease with a worldwide distribution affecting both humans and animals. There is a need to identify and develop new drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis. This study showed that crude ethanolic extracts of the red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis have a powerful effect against L. infantum, the prevalent species of the genus Leishmania in the Mediterranean basin. L. infantum demonstrated decreased vitality with increasing concentration of the algal extracts. At a concentration of 40 μg/mL, the extracts achieved 100% mortality of the parasite and the LD50 value was 25 μg/mL for promastigotes and 9 μg/mL for amastigotes. Algal extracts caused morphological alterations and apoptosis in Leishmania cells. The potential cytotoxic action of crude extracts was investigated by a MTT viability assay on DH82 and Vero cell lines but there was no cytotoxic effect. The potential of red alga A. taxiformis metabolites as anti-leishmanial agents merits further pharmacological investigation.

Research paper thumbnail of Algal chlorophylls for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Research paper thumbnail of Two new alien macroalgae identified by the DNA barcoding

Biol. Mar. Mediterr. , 2014

Research paper thumbnail of In vitro assessment of the effect of Undaria pinnatifida extracts on erythrocytes membrane integrity and blood coagulation parameters of Equus caballus

Journal of Coastal Life Medicine, 2014

Objective: To study the activity of polysaccharides extracted from Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnat... more Objective: To study the activity of polysaccharides extracted from Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) in vitro on red blood cell of Equus caballus, and compare it with heparin. Methods: Algal extracts was tested at two different concentrations 10 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL. In all studies, using horse red blood cells, control experiments were carried out without extract. We evaluated the toxicity of algal extracts through trypan blue test and haemolysis test and anticoagulant action measured by activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin time and fibrinogen test. Results: The polysaccharide extract of U. pinnatifida appeared to have no cytotoxic effect on the horse red blood cells. The values of prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrinogen were significantly changed in the presence of the extract. Conclusions: This study suggests a possible exploitation of U. pinnatifida, thriving in the lagoon of Venice, as a source of anticoagulant drug, with the aim of transforming waste into a valuable biomass.

Research paper thumbnail of Potential Use of Polysaccharides from the Brown Alga Undaria pinnatifida as Anticoagulants

Faggio C., Morabito M., Armeli Minicante S., Lo Piano G., Pagano M., Genovese G.

Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) is a highly invasive species and has caused concern all over... more Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) is a highly invasive species and has caused concern all over the world because it has invaded coastal environments, has the potential to displace native species, significantly alters habitat for associated fauna, and disturbs navigation. Any attempt to eradicate it would be futile, owing to the elusive, microscopic gametophyte, and because the alga thrives in sites rich in anthropic activities. Venice Lagoon is the largest Mediterranean transitional environment and the spot of the highest introduction of non-indigenous species, including U. pinnatifida, which is removed as a waste. We demonstrated that polysaccharide extracts from U. pinnatifida have an anticoagulant effect on human blood in vitro and are not cytotoxic. The results obtained by PT (normal values 70-120%) and APTT (normal values 28-40s) assays were significantly prolonged by the polysaccharide extracts of U. pinnatifida, therefore algal extracts are ideal candidates as antithrombotic agents.

Research paper thumbnail of Brown seaweed pigment as a dye source for photoelectrochemical solar cells

Chlorophylls based-dyes obtained from seaweeds represent attractive alternatives to the expensive... more Chlorophylls based-dyes obtained from seaweeds represent attractive alternatives to the expensive and polluting pyridil based Ru complexes because of their abundance in nature. Another important characteristic is that the algae don’t subtract either cropland or agricultural water, therefore don’t conflict with agro-food sector. This pigment shows a typical intense absorption in the UV/blue (Soret band) and a less intense band in the red/near IR (Q band) spectral regions and for these reasons appear very promising as sensitizer dyes for DSSC. In the present study, we utilized chlorophylls from samples of the brown alga Undaria pinnatifida as sensitizer in DSSCs. The dye, extracted by frozen seaweeds and used without any chemical purification, showed a very good fill factor (0.69). Even the photelectrochemical parameters if compared with the existent literature are very interesting.

Research paper thumbnail of The Mediterranean red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis has antifungal activity against Aspergillus species

Mycoses, 2013

The red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis collected from the Straits of Messina (Italy) were screened... more The red algae Asparagopsis taxiformis collected from the Straits of Messina (Italy) were screened for antifungal activity against Aspergillus species. EUCAST methodology was applied and extracts showed antifungal activity against A. fumigatus, A. terreus and A. flavus. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentrations observed were <0.15 mg ml(-1) and the highest were >5 mg ml(-1) for Aspergillus spp. tested. Agar diffusion assays confirmed antifungal activity of A. taxiformis extracts in Aspergillus species.

Research paper thumbnail of Alien Seaweeds as Potential Resources Against Leishmaniasis Desease

Research paper thumbnail of Evaluation of the Antiprotozoal Activity of Asparagopsis Extracts Against Leishmania Infantum

European Journal of Phycology , 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Detection of alien species in two Italian coastal lagoons using the DNA barcoding tool

5th European Phycological Congress, 2011

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring and deepening the use of algal chlorophylls into Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Research paper thumbnail of Le collezioni naturalistiche dell'Istituto di Scienze Marine: dalla conservazione alla digitalizzazione Istituto di Scienze Marine

Rapporto Tecnico, Istituto di Scienze Marine (CNR-ISMAR), 2018

Research paper thumbnail of Archivio Studi Adriatici (ASA) al servizio della ricerca: istruzioni per l’uso

Rapporto Tecnico IRCrES-CNR, 2017

ISSN (print): 2421-5783 ISSN (on line): 2421-5562

Research paper thumbnail of TAXONOMY WORK AT CNR

The report includes and examines the list of taxonomists from IAMC (Institute for Coastal Marine ... more The report includes and examines the list of taxonomists from IAMC (Institute for Coastal Marine Environment), IGG (Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources), ISE (Institute of Ecosystem Study), and ISMAR (Institute of Marine Sciences), who responded to the Taxonomy Census 2016, their scientific publications and the number of taxa described new for the science in the last 50 years. Every paper is reported with keywords, helping the reader to understand taxon/taxa of each publication and the focal habitat. This analysis becomes the basis for the future steps to resurrect taxonomy within CNR, from common project proposals to the protection of past and present knowledge gained to date in this area.

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.569874