Plants incessantly encounter abiotic and biotic stresses that limit their growth and productivity. However, conversely, plant growth can also be induced by treatments with various abiotic and biotic elicitors. Carrageenans are sulfated linear polysaccharides that represent major cellular constituents of seaweeds belonging to red algae (Rhodophyta). Recent research has unraveled the biological a...

Carrageenans are abundant and safe non-starch polysaccharides exerting their biological effects in living organisms. Apart from their known pro-inflammation properties and some pharmacological activity, carrageenans can also strongly bind and hold metal ions. This property can be used for creation of the new drugs for elimination of metals from the body or targeted delivery of these metal ions ...

Carrageenans are a collective family of linear, sulphated galactans found in a number of commercially important species of marine red alga. These polysaccharides are known to elicit defense responses in plant and animals and possess anti-viral properties. We investigated the effect of foliar application of ι-, κ- and λ-carrageenans (representing various levels of sulphation) on Arabidopsis thal...

Eight carrageenophytes, representing seven genera and three families of Gigartinales (Florideophyceae), were studied for 15 months. The reproductive status, dry weight, and carrageenan content have been followed by a monthly random sampling. The highest carrageenan yields were found in Chondracanthus acicularis (61.1%), Gigartina pistillata (59.7%), and Chondracanthus teedei var. lusitanicus (5...

The molecular weight between entanglements (Me) for κ- and ι-carrageenans, sulfated galactans, was examined in concentrated solutions using an ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate as a solvent. The dynamic viscoelasticity data for the solutions measured at different temperatures were overlapped according to the time-temperature superposition principle, and the obtained master curves...

A new precursor, tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl) orthosilicate (THEOS), introduced by Hoffmann et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 106 (2002) 1528-1533), was used to synthesize monolithic hybrid biomaterials on the basis of silica and three main types of carrageenans, kappa-, iota-, and lambda-carrageenans. The advantage of THEOS over the currently applied TEOS and TMOS is in its complete solubility in water. Th...

Sulfated polysaccharides were localized in the cuticle, cortex and medulla of the gametophyte thallus, being more concentrated in the intercellular matrix than in the cell walls. During the water extraction sequence, a small percentage of galactan sulfates (5.1% of dry seaweed) with average low Mr (6-11.4kDa) were extracted at room temperature without disturbing the cellular arrangement, while ...

Carrageenans, a family of polysulphated carbohydrates, inhibited binding of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). iota-Carrageenan was the most potent bFGF antagonist (IC50 = 0.4 +/- 0.1 microgram/ml), kappa-carrageenan was the most potent PDGF antagonist (IC50 = 1.7 +/- 1.3 micrograms/ml) and lambda-carr...

We report the isolation, for the first time by phage display, of a scFv recombinant antibody called B3 directed against carrageenans, the major sulphated polysaccharides of red seaweeds. Immunoassays were used to characterize the binding of B3 antibodies toward the three main carrageenan forms (iota, kappa, and lambda) differing by their sulfonic ester content and the presence of 3,6-anhydrogal...

Carrageenan is a natural carbohydrate (polysaccharide) obtained from edible red seaweeds. The name Carrageenan is derived from the Chondrus crispus species of seaweed known as Carrageen Moss or Irish Moss in England, and Carraigin in Ireland. Carraigin has been used in Ireland since 400 AD as a gelatin and as a home remedy to cure coughs and colds. It grows along the coasts of North America and...