Carrageenan oligosaccharides and associated carrageenan-degrading bacteria induce intestinal inflammation in germ-free mice

Carrageenans(CGNs)are widely used in foods and pharmaceuticals although their safety remains controversial.To investigate the effects of CGNs and CGN-degrading bacteria in the human colon,we screened for CGN degradation by human fecal microbiota,and for inflammatory response to CGNs and/or CGN-degrading bacteria in germ free mice.Thin-layer chromatography indicated that high molecular weight(MW)CGNs(!100 kDa)remained undegraded in the presence of human fecal microbiota,whereas low MW CGNs,i.e.,k-carrageenan oligosaccharides(KCO,~4.5 kDa)were degraded when exposed to seven of eight human fecal samples,although sulfate groups were not removed during degradation.Bacteroides xylanisolvens and Escherichia coli isolates from fecal samples apparently degraded KCO synergistically,with B.xylanisolvens serving as the primary degrader.Combined treatment of KCO with KCO-degrading bacteria led to greater pro-inflammatory effects in the colon and rectum of germ-free mice than either KCO or bacteria alone.Similarly,p-p38-,CD3-,and CD79a-positive immune cells were more abundant in combined treatment group mice than in either single treatment group.Our study shows that KCO-degrading bacteria and the low MW products of KCO can promote proinflammatory effects in mice,and represent two key markers for evaluating CGN safety in foods or medicines.

Expanding the application range of theκ‑carrageenase OUC‑FaKC16A when preparing oligosaccharides fromκ‑carrageenan and furcellaran

Carrageenan oligosaccharides are important products that have demonstrated numerous bioactivities useful in the food,medicine,and cosmetics industries.However,the specifc structure–function relationships of carrageenan oligosaccharides are not clearly described due to the defciency of high specifc carrageenases.Here,a truncated mutant OUC-FaKC16Q based on the reportedκ-neocarratetrose(Nκ4)-producingκ-carrageenase OUC-FaKC16A from Flavobacterium algicola was constructed and further studied.After truncating the C-terminal Por_Secre_tail(PorS)domain(responsible for substrate binding),the catalytic efciency and temperature stability decreased to a certain extent.Surprisingly,this truncation also enabled OUC-FaKC16Q to hydrolyze Nκ4 intoκ-neocarrabiose(Nκ2).The ofset of Arg265 residue in OUC-FaKC16Q may explain this change.Moreover,the high catalytic abilities,the main products,and the degradation modes of OUC-FaKC16A and OUC-FaKC16Q toward furcellaran were also demonstrated.Data suggested OUC-FaKC16A and OUC-FaKC16Q could hydrolyze furcellaran to produce mainly the desulfated oligosaccharides DA-G-(DA-G4S)2 and DA-G-DA-G4S,respectively.As a result,the spectrum of products ofκ-carrageenase OUC-FaKC16A has been fully expanded in this study,indicating its promising potential for application in the biomanufacturing of carrageenan oligosaccharides with specifc structures.

Prospects of obtaining carrageenase from Polar microorganisms

The author summarized the physiological activity of carrageenan,——antioxidant,antiviral and anti coagulation.The article compared and analysed three methods of decomposing carrageenan to carrageenan oligosaccharides.And it emphatically pointed out that biological enzyme method is better than chemical method and physical method on degradation of carrageenan and its good application prospect.?In addition,the article clarified the possibility of obtaining new carrageenase from Polar microorganisms from the special biological environment,the microorganisms’special physical and chemical characteristics and so on.In order to provide reference for the search of the industrial production of carrageenan oligosaccharides by enzymatic degradation.