High performance countercurrent chromatography (HPCCC) was successfully applied for the separation of nostotrebin 6 from cultivated soil cyanobacteria in a two-step operation. A two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water (4:5:4:5, v/v/v/v) was employed for the HPCCC separation. In the first-step operation, its neutral upper phase was used as stationary phase and its basic lower phase (1% NH3 in lower phase) was employed as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. In the second operation step, its neutral upper phase was used as stationary phase, whereas both its neutral lower phase and basic lower phase were employed as mobile phase with a linear gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min. The revolution speed and temperature of the separation column were 1,000 rpm and 30 °C, respectively. Using HPCCC followed by clean-up on Sephadex LH-20 gel, 4 mg of nostotrebin 6 with a purity of 99% as determined by HPLC/DAD-ESI-HRMS was obtained from 100 mg of crude extract. The chemical identity of the isolated compound was confirmed by comparing its spectroscopic data (UV, ESI-HRMS, ESI-HRMS2) with those of an authentic standard and data available in the literature.

• MeSH
• Acetates chemistry   MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors chemistry   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Cyclopentanes chemistry   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Hexanes chemistry   MeSH
• Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization MeSH
• Methanol chemistry   MeSH
• Nostoc chemistry   MeSH
• Countercurrent Distribution MeSH
• Soil Microbiology MeSH
• Solvents chemistry   MeSH
• Water chemistry   MeSH
• Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Acetates MeSH
• Cholinesterase Inhibitors MeSH
• Cyclopentanes MeSH
• ethyl acetate MeSH Browser
• Hexanes MeSH
• Methanol MeSH
• n-hexane MeSH Browser
• nostotrebin 6 MeSH Browser
• Solvents MeSH
• Water MeSH

Microscopic algae and cyanobacteria are excellent sources of numerous compounds, from raw biomass rich in proteins, oils, and antioxidants to valuable secondary metabolites with potential medical use. In the former Czechoslovakia, microalgal biotechnology developed rapidly in the 1960s with the main aim of providing industrial, high-yield sources of algal biomass. Unique cultivation techniques that are still in use were successfully developed and tested. Gradually, the focus changed from bulk production to more sophisticated use of microalgae, including production of bioactive compounds. Along the way, better understanding of the physiology and cell biology of productive microalgal strains was achieved. Currently, microalgae are in the focus again, mostly as possible sources of bioactive compounds and next-generation biofuels for the 21st century.

• MeSH
• Biomass MeSH
• Biofuels MeSH
• Biotechnology history   methods   trends   MeSH
• Cell Culture Techniques MeSH
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• History, 21st Century MeSH
• Microalgae growth & development   MeSH
• Cyanobacteria growth & development   MeSH
• Check Tag
• History, 20th Century MeSH
• History, 21st Century MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Historical Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Czechoslovakia MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Biofuels MeSH