Mycosporine-like Amino Acids and Other Phytochemicals Directly Detected by High-Resolution NMR on Klamath (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae) Blue-Green Algae

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 64; no. 35; pp. 6708 - 6715
• Main Authors: Righi, Valeria, Parenti, Francesca, Schenetti, Luisa, Mucci, Adele
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 07.09.2016
• Subjects: Amino Acids - chemistry; Aphanizomenon - chemistry; Cyanobacteria - chemistry; Dietary Supplements; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Phytochemicals - chemistry; nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy; mycosporine-like amino acids; Aphanizomenon flos-aquae; Klamath algae; glycosides; ESI-QTOF mass spectrometry
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b02615

This study describes for the first time the use of high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) on Klamath (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, AFA) blue-green algae directly on powder suspension. These algae are considered to be a “superfood”, due to their complete nutritional profile that has proved to have important therapeutic effects. The main advantage of NMR spectroscopy is that it permits the detection of a number of metabolites all at once. The Klamath alga metabolome was revealed to be quite complex, and the most peculiar phytochemicals that can be detected directly on algae by NMR are mycosporine-like amino acids (porphyra-334, P334; shinorine, Shi) and low molecular weight glycosides (glyceryl β-d-galactopyranoside, GalpG; glyceryl 6-amino-6-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside, ADG), all compounds with a high nutraceutical value. The presence of cis-3,4-DhLys was revealed for the first time. This molecule could be involved in the anticancer properties ascribed to AFA.