Studies on the subtropical red alga-originating new attractant against infection-mediated insects belonging to the Diptera

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K07577
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Aquatic life science
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: Asakawa Manabu 広島大学, 生物圏科学研究科, 教授 (60243606)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 紅藻類 / マクリ / セトウミユスリカ / カイニン酸 / アミノ酸アナライザー / グルタミン酸 / 誘引作用 / 石垣島

Outline of Final Research Achievements

On the reefs along the coast of Ishigaki Island, Okinawa Prefecture Japan, a unique phenomenon is observed in which insects Clunio setoensis belonging to the Diptera are attracted to the red alga Digenea simplex. The study is aimed at obtaining basic data on development of the pest insect attracting exterminator. Attempts were made to estimate the free amino acid compositions of red and brown algae. In the extract purified from the 75% EtOH extract by Sep-Pak C18 cartridge, total amount of free amino acids was estimated to be 238.4 ± 78.5 mg/ 100g of dry matter. The content of kainic acid was 114.0 ± 28.6 mg/100g of dry matter (n=6) and occupying 49.8 ± 9.7 % of the total. The content of alanine (35.9 ± 22.4 %), glutamic acid (28.5 ± 21.3 %) and α-aminoaddipic acid (20.6 ± 8.7 %) followed in the order of the amounts as the main components. On the other hand, kainic acid was not detected in four species of red algae and three species of brown algae at all.

Free Research Field

海洋生物資源化学