Methods for obtaining bioactive compounds from phytoplankton

• US 8,557,514 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rutgers University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• Original Assignee: Rutgers University, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
• Inventors: Bidle, Kay Daniel, Vardi, Assaf, Van Mooy, Benjamin A. S., Fredricks, Helen F., Haramaty, Liti
• Primary Examiner(s): Ware, Debbie K
• Application Number:
  US12/459,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20100145084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 435/5
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2510/00 Detection of programmed cell death, i.e. apoptosis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/92 involving lipids, e.g. cholesterol , lipoproteins, or their receptors steroid hormones G01N33/743

Abstract

Phytoplankton represent a potential source of bioactive compounds. The present disclosure provides, inter alia, methods for identifying glycerolipids and apoptosis-inducing sphingosine-like lipids from virally-infected phytoplankton.

Claims

1. A method for identifying one or more apoptosis-inducing glycosylated sphingolipids, comprising:

(a) obtaining a sample of one or more glycosylated sphingolipids from a virally-infected phytoplankton;

(b) contacting a target cell with the sample;

(c) assaying the target cell for apoptosis-associated activity in the presence of the sample;

wherein apoptosis-associated activity in the target cell indicates that the sample comprises one or more apoptosis-inducing glycosylated sphingolipids.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the phytoplankton are coccolithophores.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the coccolithophores are E. huxleyi.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the virus is a coccolithovirus.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the coccolithovirus is EhV86.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising isolating the one or more apoptosis-inhibiting glycosylated sphingolipids from the sample.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the target cell is a prokaryotic cell.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the target cell is a eukaryotic cell.

9. A method of manufacturing one or more glycosylated sphingolipids, comprising:

(a) infecting phytoplankton with a virus;

(b) culturing the infected phytoplankton; and

(c) isolating the one or more glycosylated sphingolipids from the infected phytoplankton.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more glycosylated sphingolipids are apoptosis-inducing glycosylated sphingolipids.

11. A method for identifying one or more glycerolipids capable of inhibiting viral-mediated apoptosis, comprising:

(a) obtaining a sample of one or more glycerolipids from a virally-infected phytoplankton;

(b) contacting a target cell with the sample; and

(c) assaying the target cell for apoptosis-associated activity in the presence of the sample and further in the presence of a virus that induces apoptosis in the target cell in the absence of the sample;

wherein a decrease in apoptosis-associated activity in the target cell relative to the apoptosis-associated activity in the absence of the sample indicates that the sample comprises one or more glycerolipids capable of inhibiting viral-mediated apoptosis.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the phytoplankton are coccolithophores.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the coccolithophores are E. huxleyi.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the virus is a coccolithovirus.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the coccolithovirus is EhV86.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising isolating the one or more glycerolipids from the sample.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the target cell is a prokaryotic cell.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the target cell is a eukaryotic cell.