The best known of the microorganism-derived whitening agents is kojic acid,
which is produced by land-based filamentous fungi from the Aspergillus and
Pencillum genera. In addition to inhibiting tyrosinase activity, kojic acid also blocks
melanin formation and is currently being developed as a new whitening agent.
While it can be mixed with new whitening cosmetics, however, stability issues have
resulted at one point in a ban on such mixtures. Although its effects are outstanding,
it has been unable to show them.
This has led to a search for marine microorganisms to take the place of kojic acid
in producing new tyrosinase inhibitors.
Imada isolated the H1-7 strain of the filamentous fungus Trichoderma viride
from sea sediment at a depth of 100 m. The tyrosinase inhibitor
5-hydroxy-3-isocyano-5-vinylcyclopent-2-enone was isolated from a culture medium for this fungus.
Melanin formation suppression effects were examined for an Arbutin control
group and culture supernatant for the H1-7 strain of T. viride using melanocytes
from normal human subjects. As seen in Fig. 11.1, melanocytes cultures with the
addition of culture supernatant to a final concentration of 10% were found to exhibit
melanin formation suppression effects equal to or greater than those of Arbutin,
suggesting potential applications as a new whitening agent.
Perhaps the future may yet usher in an age when new bioactive substances
isolated from marine microorganisms can be used in the treatment of currently
intractable disease (Imada 2009).
11.6 Chapter Summary and Conclusion
The oceans have a total volume of 1,369,000,000 km
3 , accounting for over 98%
of the hydrosphere. They are also very complex microbiologically, with many
types of microorganisms inhibiting environments of differing pressure, salinity,
and temperature. Having developed metabolic processes and physiological
capabilities to adapt within extreme environments, marine microorganisms are
very likely to contain metabolites that are quite different from those present in
land-based microorganisms.
In terms of the physical and chemical properties of marine and land-based
organisms, the marine environment consists of water and thus requires the
production of large amounts of chemicals for smooth information exchange
among organisms.
In addition, because the absorption of solar energy is confined to the marine
environment’s surface layer and protein-dominant biota possesses dominance
over carbohydrates, the food chain is highly complex. The result is a very
diverse mixture of epibionts and symbionts. Marine microorganisms can
therefore be seen as an unexplored treasure trove of industrially valuable compounds.
Marine bacteria possess outstanding capabilities in producing high-molecular
weight substances and enzymes. Additionally, some species are used as potential
producers of enzymes such as deoxyribonuclease, lipase, alginate lyase,
412
11 Marine Microorganism Resources and Biotechnology
which is produced by land-based filamentous fungi from the Aspergillus and
Pencillum genera. In addition to inhibiting tyrosinase activity, kojic acid also blocks
melanin formation and is currently being developed as a new whitening agent.
While it can be mixed with new whitening cosmetics, however, stability issues have
resulted at one point in a ban on such mixtures. Although its effects are outstanding,
it has been unable to show them.
This has led to a search for marine microorganisms to take the place of kojic acid
in producing new tyrosinase inhibitors.
Imada isolated the H1-7 strain of the filamentous fungus Trichoderma viride
from sea sediment at a depth of 100 m. The tyrosinase inhibitor
5-hydroxy-3-isocyano-5-vinylcyclopent-2-enone was isolated from a culture medium for this fungus.
Melanin formation suppression effects were examined for an Arbutin control
group and culture supernatant for the H1-7 strain of T. viride using melanocytes
from normal human subjects. As seen in Fig. 11.1, melanocytes cultures with the
addition of culture supernatant to a final concentration of 10% were found to exhibit
melanin formation suppression effects equal to or greater than those of Arbutin,
suggesting potential applications as a new whitening agent.
Perhaps the future may yet usher in an age when new bioactive substances
isolated from marine microorganisms can be used in the treatment of currently
intractable disease (Imada 2009).
11.6 Chapter Summary and Conclusion
The oceans have a total volume of 1,369,000,000 km
3 , accounting for over 98%
of the hydrosphere. They are also very complex microbiologically, with many
types of microorganisms inhibiting environments of differing pressure, salinity,
and temperature. Having developed metabolic processes and physiological
capabilities to adapt within extreme environments, marine microorganisms are
very likely to contain metabolites that are quite different from those present in
land-based microorganisms.
In terms of the physical and chemical properties of marine and land-based
organisms, the marine environment consists of water and thus requires the
production of large amounts of chemicals for smooth information exchange
among organisms.
In addition, because the absorption of solar energy is confined to the marine
environment’s surface layer and protein-dominant biota possesses dominance
over carbohydrates, the food chain is highly complex. The result is a very
diverse mixture of epibionts and symbionts. Marine microorganisms can
therefore be seen as an unexplored treasure trove of industrially valuable compounds.
Marine bacteria possess outstanding capabilities in producing high-molecular
weight substances and enzymes. Additionally, some species are used as potential
producers of enzymes such as deoxyribonuclease, lipase, alginate lyase,
412
11 Marine Microorganism Resources and Biotechnology