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Antimicrobial Lipids from the Hemolymph of Brachyuran Crabs

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Abstract

The potential of marine crabs as a source of biologically active products is largely unexplored. In the present study, antimicrobial activity of the hemolymph (plasma) and hemocytes (plasma cells) of six brachyuran crabs was investigated against 16 pathogenic strains. Among the 16 strains tested maximum zone of inhibition was recorded in the hemolymph of Hyas araneus against Shigella flexineri. Interestingly Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhi were susceptible to all the hemolymph and hemocytes samples. Likewise, the highest zone of inhibition was exhibited by both hemolymph and hemocytes samples against Vibrio cholerae. On the basis of TLC, 1HNMR, and 13CNMR it may be concluded that the antimicrobial activity in the hemolymph extract is due to the presence of lipids. This observation is further supported by the ESI-MS of the methanolic extract of hemolymph of H. araneus. ESI-MS shows cluster of peaks in the region m/z 445 to m/z 491 due to lysoglycerolipids/glycerides and cluster of signals between m/z 216 and 246, due to fatty acids/esters present in the sample.

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Abbreviations

TLC:

Thin layer chromatography

1H NMR:

Proton nuclear magnetic resonance

13CNMR:

Carbon 13 nuclear magnetic resonance

m/z:

Mass-to-charge

ESI-MS:

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

mm:

Millimeter

cm:

Centimeter

MS/MS:

Tandem mass spectrometry

NaCl:

Sodium chloride

pH:

Hydrogen ion concentration

w/v:

Weight/volume

V/V:

Volume of the substance

μl:

Microliter

μg:

Microgram

FTIR:

Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy

MeOH:

Methanol

H2O:

Water

TFA:

Trifluoro acetic acid

CID:

Collision-induced dissociation

TOF:

Time-of-flight

V:

Volt

PDB:

Potato dextrose broth

SDB:

Sabaraud dextrose broth

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Dr. S R Shetye, Director N.I.O. and Prof. T. Balasubramanian, Director CAS, for the facilities and constant encouragement. Dr. S Ravichandran is thankful to the Indian National Science Academy for the financial support through INSA Fellowship. Dr. Solimabi Wahidulla is thankful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for the award of Emeritus Scientist.

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Correspondence to Samuthirapandian Ravichandran.

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Ravichandran, S., Wahidulla, S., D’Souza, L. et al. Antimicrobial Lipids from the Hemolymph of Brachyuran Crabs. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 162, 1039–1051 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-009-8843-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12010-009-8843-1

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