The photoprotect compound mycosporine-like amino acids ( MAAs ) are a family of secondary metabolites can protect organisms exposed to solar ultraviolet radiation ( UVR ), only produced in the algae. Analyzed by HPLC, only Alexandrium minutum Halim ( Dinophyceae ) produces MAAs among seven marine microalgae species. The strains named AM-2¡BAM-3¡BAM-4 and AM-6 showed the positive results for producing the MAAs, but not AM-5. Researches on the stability the MAAs extracts from algal powder ( AM-3 ) hold at 4¢J, 25¢J and 50¢J for 35 days and light expose. The results showed the MAAs gradually decayed after 35 days at 50¢J, after exposed to UVR but decreased 48 % in one day and disappeared in two days. The growth and the MAAs produced in A. minutum ( AM-4, AM-6 ) under different salinity, nitrate concentration and UVR were analyzed to find their relationships. When the salinity increased ( 15 psu¡B25 psu¡B35 psu¡B45 psu ), the cell densities of both strain decreased significantly, but with similar MAAs composition and contents. In higher nitrate nutrient ( 2 N ), the cells produced more MAAs than those cultivated in lower nitrate ( N / 10¡BN / 2 ). Under the UV treatment with the deficient nitrate nutrient, the concentration of MAAs in A. minutum decreased after exposed to UVR for 14 hours. However, provided enough nitrate nutrient ( 2 N ), UVR can induced A. minutum to produce higher concentration of MAAs. These results showed MAAs may serve as a nitrogenous compound for intracellular storage, and not as a substance for osmotic adjustment. UVR is an important factor which induce MAAs produced in A. minutum.

Shallow-dwelling scleractinian corals live in high irradiance environments where they are exposed to large fluxes of ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280 - 400 nm). A suite of UV-aborbing compounds, know as mycosporine-like amino acids, is found within the tissues of coral-algal symbioses and may perform a sun-screening role. The seasonal variation in MAA concentration was investigated for two corals in Kaneohe Bay, Hawai'i, Porites compressa and Montipora verrucosa. Regressions of MAA concentration and the amount of UVR measured prior to collection date were not significant for total MAA concentration of either species. However, individual MAAs, shinorine in P. compressa and palythene in M. verrucosa, did show significant correlation with UVR. The effects of UVR and water motion on Porites compressa were investigated in a flume and in the field. Exposure to ambient UVR was the most important factor tested in determining the concentration of MAAs in the tissues of P. compressa. Water motion also positively affected the concentration of MAAs, but only in the presence of UVR. When UVR was screened from the corals' environment, the tissue concentration of MAAs slowly decreased over time (approximately 2.5 to 5% per week) regardless of water motion. The effect of UVR on coral planulae was investigated in field experiments with Pocillopora damicornis. Larvae were taken from four different source adults: those from <0.5 m, those from 3 m, those incubated in the absence of UVR for two months, and those incubated in ambient UVR for two months. Deep larvae and larvae from adults incubated in the absence of UVR had roughly half the amount ofMAAs found in the shallow larvae and the larvae from adults in ambient UVR. Origin of larvae was not a significant factor in determining larval survival or recruitment success. UVR, however, was important in determining recruitment rate. Larvae were less likely to recruit to the settlement tile in the presence of ambient UVR than in treatments where the UVR was screened out. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1999. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 151-164).

Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2009. / Title from PDF title page; viewed on October 23, 2009. Major professor: Nikki L. Adams. "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree [of] Master of Science in Biological Sciences." "June 2009." Includes bibliographical references (p. ). Also available on microfiche.

Marine phytoplankton are known to produce UV-absorbing compounds (UVACs) for protection against UV radiation. To assess whether the same strategy applies to sea ice-associated algal communities, MAAs were measured in algae associated with surface melt ponds, sea ice, sea ice−water interface, and underlying seawater in a coastal bay of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago during the 2011 spring melt transition. Six UVACs were detected as the spring melt progressed, namely shinorine, palythine, and porphyra-334 and three unknowns (U1, U2 and U3). U1 was most likely palythene, another MAA. The molecular identities of the other two UVACs, U2 and U3, which have an absorption maximum of 363 and 300 nm, respectively, remain to be structurally elucidated. The results confirm that Arctic sea ice-associated algal communities are capable of producing photoprotectants and that spatial and temporal variations in MAA and other UVAC synthesis are affected by snow cover and UV radiation exposure. / May 2016

Field surveys of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus demonstrated that concentrations of natural sunscreens, mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), were higher in females than males for both gonadal and epidermal tissues, increased in ovaries as spawning season approached, and were influenced by the sea urchins’ microhabitat. Sea urchins occupying burrows, or “pits”, had lower concentrations of MAAs than those outside pits, suggesting a trade-off between physical and UV protection. Overall, UV irradiance did not influence MAA accumulation in gonadal tissues. However, males increased their allocation of MAAs to epidermal tissues in the microhabitat with the highest irradiance. Relative concentrations of individual MAAs were similar for epidermal tissues from both sexes and ovaries, providing broadband UVA/UVB absorbance, but testes contained principally one MAA, palythine. This is the first study to demonstrate that S. purpuratus and eight species of macroalgae in California have MAAs, and that the concentrations can be influenced by microhabitat.

A radiação ultravioleta (RUV) causa efeitos deletérios em ecossistemas aquáticos e terrestres. Um dos mecanismos de defesa criados pelos organismos para evitar estes danos é o acúmulo de compostos que absorvem RUV, dentre os quais os aminoácidos tipo micosporina (MAAs, do inglês mycosporine-like amino acids) representam uma classe importante. As MAAs são substâncias solúveis em água caracterizadas pela presença de uma unidade ciclo-hexenona ou ciclo-hexenimina conjugada com nitrogênio substituído por um aminoácido, aminoálcool ou grupo amino, apresentando absorção máxima entre 308 e 362 nm e altos coeficientes de absortividade molar. Dado o importante papel desempenhado pelas MAAs na fisiologia e bioquímica celular de algas, seja atuando como protetoras de RUV ou como antioxidantes, o objetivo desta tese foi expandir o corpo de conhecimentos disponíveis sobre a ocorrência e distribuição destes compostos em macroalgas brasileiras. Para atingir tal meta, foi necessário desenvolver procedimentos analíticos de isolamento por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (high procedure liquid chromatography, HPLC), de modo a gerar padrões que pudessem ser utilizados para a qualificação e quantificação de MAAs em extratos de algas. Foi necessário também desenvolver dois novos métodos de análise por HPLC acoplada a espectrometria de massas (HPLC-MS) - sendo um utilizado como método diagnóstico, capaz de indicar se há MAAs presentes em determinada amostra, e outro utilizado como método para quantificação. Todos os métodos trouxeram bons resultados, e os métodos por HPLC-MS foram utilizados para o estudo de diversas macroalgas coletadas na região intertidal de praias do litoral Sul do estado do Espírito Santo - Brasil. Apesar da localização restrita, é o maior estudo desta natureza realizado até então com algas do litoral brasileiro. Além disso, 11 dos 32 gêneros e 34 das 45 espécies presentes nesta tese nunca haviam sido alvo de nenhum estudo relacionado a MAAs. Nessas amostras, foi possível encontrar oito MAAs: chinorina, palitina, porphyra-334, asterina-330, palitinol, micosporina-2-glicina, o par cis/trans usujireno/paliteno e uma molécula desconhecida com relação massa-carga de 317 m/z ([M+H]+). Dentre elas, as três primeiras foram quantificadas de forma absoluta, e pôde-se perceber que as rodófitas apresentam níveis de MAAs sensivelmente maiores que as clorófitas e feófitas. Em relação à variedade, foi possível notar que, dentre as amostras que possuem dados do conteúdo de MAAs na literatura (seja para a espécie ou para o gênero), praticamente todas apresentam maior variedade de MAAs do que o anteriormente descrito. Foi encontrada a maior variedade de MAAs já descrita para uma alga parda: seis MAAs diferentes nas espécies Dictyopteris delicatula e Padina gymnospora coletadas na praia de Castelhanos - ES. Pôde-se detectar, pela primeira vez, a presença de MAAs em 32 espécies de macroalgas. Algumas espécies mostram-se fontes muito interessantes de MAAs para diferentes usos pela indústria, seja para a obtenção de compostos puros ou para a utilização de seus extratos como ingredientes de formulações de filtros solares. A molécula desconhecida, cujo íon quasimolecular [M+H]+ apresenta m/z 317, foi tentativamente identificada como sendo a micosporina-glicina-alanina. Este é o primeiro trabalho a descrever a ocorrência desta molécula in natura. / Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exerts deleterious effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. One defense mechanism created by organisms to avoid this damage is the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds, among which the mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) represent an important class. MAAs are water-soluble compounds characterized by the presence of a cyclohexenone or cyclohexenimine ring conjugated with amino acids, amino alcohols or other amino groups, presenting absorption maxima ranging from 309 nm to 362 nm and high molar extinction coefficients. Given their important role in algae physiology and cellular biochemistry, as photoprotective compounds or antioxidants, the objective of this thesis is to expand the available knowledge on the occurrence and distribution of MAAs in Brazilian macroalgae. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to develop an isolation methodology by high procedure liquid chromatography (HPLC), so as to generate standards for qualifying and quantifying MAAs in macroalgae extracts. It was also necessary to develop two new analysis methods by HPLC coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) - one utilized as a diagnosis method, capable of indicating if there are MAAs in a given sample; and the other utilized as quantification method. All methods gave good results, and the ones relying on HPLC-MS were used to study several macroalgae collected at the intertidal region of beaches located in the south coast of Espírito Santo State - Brazil. This is the biggest study of this nature ever done with Brazilian macroalgae; besides that, 11 out of 32 genera and 34 out of 45 species herein tested had never had their content of MAA assessed. In these samples, it was possible to find eight MAAs: shinorine, palythine, porphyra- 334, asterina-330, palythinol, mycosporine-2-glycine, the cis/trans pair usujirene/palythene and an unknown molecule with mass-to-charge ratio of 317 m/z ([M+H]+). Among them, absolute quantification was performed for the first three ones, and it was possible to notice that red algae have higher MAA levels than green and brown algae. In terms of variety, it could be seen that, amongst the samples that have MAA data available in the literature (either for the species or for the genus), nearly all present a higher MAA variety than the previously described one. The highest variety ever recorded from brown algae is presented in this work: six different MAAs in Dictyopteris delicatula and Padina gymnospora, both collected at Castelhanos Beach - ES. For the first time, it was possible to detect MAAs in 32 species of macroalgae. Some species seem to be very interesting sources of MAAs for industrial purposes, either for obtaining pure compounds or for utilizing their extracts as ingredients of sunscreen formulas. The unknown molecule, with mass-to-charge ratio of 317 m/z ([M+H]+), was tentatively identified as mycosporine-glycine-alanine. This is the first work to describe the occurrence of this molecule in natura.

A radiação ultravioleta (RUV) causa efeitos deletérios em ecossistemas aquáticos e terrestres. Um dos mecanismos de defesa criados pelos organismos para evitar estes danos é o acúmulo de compostos que absorvem RUV, dentre os quais os aminoácidos tipo micosporina (MAAs, do inglês mycosporine-like amino acids) representam uma classe importante. As MAAs são substâncias solúveis em água caracterizadas pela presença de uma unidade ciclo-hexenona ou ciclo-hexenimina conjugada com nitrogênio substituído por um aminoácido, aminoálcool ou grupo amino, apresentando absorção máxima entre 308 e 362 nm e altos coeficientes de absortividade molar. Dado o importante papel desempenhado pelas MAAs na fisiologia e bioquímica celular de algas, seja atuando como protetoras de RUV ou como antioxidantes, o objetivo desta tese foi expandir o corpo de conhecimentos disponíveis sobre a ocorrência e distribuição destes compostos em macroalgas brasileiras. Para atingir tal meta, foi necessário desenvolver procedimentos analíticos de isolamento por cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (high procedure liquid chromatography, HPLC), de modo a gerar padrões que pudessem ser utilizados para a qualificação e quantificação de MAAs em extratos de algas. Foi necessário também desenvolver dois novos métodos de análise por HPLC acoplada a espectrometria de massas (HPLC-MS) - sendo um utilizado como método diagnóstico, capaz de indicar se há MAAs presentes em determinada amostra, e outro utilizado como método para quantificação. Todos os métodos trouxeram bons resultados, e os métodos por HPLC-MS foram utilizados para o estudo de diversas macroalgas coletadas na região intertidal de praias do litoral Sul do estado do Espírito Santo - Brasil. Apesar da localização restrita, é o maior estudo desta natureza realizado até então com algas do litoral brasileiro. Além disso, 11 dos 32 gêneros e 34 das 45 espécies presentes nesta tese nunca haviam sido alvo de nenhum estudo relacionado a MAAs. Nessas amostras, foi possível encontrar oito MAAs: chinorina, palitina, porphyra-334, asterina-330, palitinol, micosporina-2-glicina, o par cis/trans usujireno/paliteno e uma molécula desconhecida com relação massa-carga de 317 m/z ([M+H]+). Dentre elas, as três primeiras foram quantificadas de forma absoluta, e pôde-se perceber que as rodófitas apresentam níveis de MAAs sensivelmente maiores que as clorófitas e feófitas. Em relação à variedade, foi possível notar que, dentre as amostras que possuem dados do conteúdo de MAAs na literatura (seja para a espécie ou para o gênero), praticamente todas apresentam maior variedade de MAAs do que o anteriormente descrito. Foi encontrada a maior variedade de MAAs já descrita para uma alga parda: seis MAAs diferentes nas espécies Dictyopteris delicatula e Padina gymnospora coletadas na praia de Castelhanos - ES. Pôde-se detectar, pela primeira vez, a presença de MAAs em 32 espécies de macroalgas. Algumas espécies mostram-se fontes muito interessantes de MAAs para diferentes usos pela indústria, seja para a obtenção de compostos puros ou para a utilização de seus extratos como ingredientes de formulações de filtros solares. A molécula desconhecida, cujo íon quasimolecular [M+H]+ apresenta m/z 317, foi tentativamente identificada como sendo a micosporina-glicina-alanina. Este é o primeiro trabalho a descrever a ocorrência desta molécula in natura. / Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exerts deleterious effects on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. One defense mechanism created by organisms to avoid this damage is the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds, among which the mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) represent an important class. MAAs are water-soluble compounds characterized by the presence of a cyclohexenone or cyclohexenimine ring conjugated with amino acids, amino alcohols or other amino groups, presenting absorption maxima ranging from 309 nm to 362 nm and high molar extinction coefficients. Given their important role in algae physiology and cellular biochemistry, as photoprotective compounds or antioxidants, the objective of this thesis is to expand the available knowledge on the occurrence and distribution of MAAs in Brazilian macroalgae. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to develop an isolation methodology by high procedure liquid chromatography (HPLC), so as to generate standards for qualifying and quantifying MAAs in macroalgae extracts. It was also necessary to develop two new analysis methods by HPLC coupled to mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) - one utilized as a diagnosis method, capable of indicating if there are MAAs in a given sample; and the other utilized as quantification method. All methods gave good results, and the ones relying on HPLC-MS were used to study several macroalgae collected at the intertidal region of beaches located in the south coast of Espírito Santo State - Brazil. This is the biggest study of this nature ever done with Brazilian macroalgae; besides that, 11 out of 32 genera and 34 out of 45 species herein tested had never had their content of MAA assessed. In these samples, it was possible to find eight MAAs: shinorine, palythine, porphyra- 334, asterina-330, palythinol, mycosporine-2-glycine, the cis/trans pair usujirene/palythene and an unknown molecule with mass-to-charge ratio of 317 m/z ([M+H]+). Among them, absolute quantification was performed for the first three ones, and it was possible to notice that red algae have higher MAA levels than green and brown algae. In terms of variety, it could be seen that, amongst the samples that have MAA data available in the literature (either for the species or for the genus), nearly all present a higher MAA variety than the previously described one. The highest variety ever recorded from brown algae is presented in this work: six different MAAs in Dictyopteris delicatula and Padina gymnospora, both collected at Castelhanos Beach - ES. For the first time, it was possible to detect MAAs in 32 species of macroalgae. Some species seem to be very interesting sources of MAAs for industrial purposes, either for obtaining pure compounds or for utilizing their extracts as ingredients of sunscreen formulas. The unknown molecule, with mass-to-charge ratio of 317 m/z ([M+H]+), was tentatively identified as mycosporine-glycine-alanine. This is the first work to describe the occurrence of this molecule in natura.

Un criblage phytochimique à partir de quatre lichens saxicoles hydrophiles du genre Dermatocarpon a mis en évidence la présence inattendue de composés de type mycosporines dans ces chlorolichens. Leur présence a été confirmée dans des échantillons historiques d'herbiers couvrant une période de plus de 170 ans. Leur teneur était comprise entre 0,1 et 1,4 mg/g de lichen sec. Trois mycosporines ont été isolées de Dermatocarpon luridum collecté en Bretagne sur des rochers d'eau vive: deux mycosporines natives, la mycosporine glutaminol et la mycosporine glutamicol ainsi qu'un artéfact d'isolement, l'ester éthylique de la mycosporine glutamicol. Leurs propriétés physico-chimiques incluant le calcul de leur pKa ont été déterminées. L'étude phytochimique a également conduit à l'isolement de sept autres composés dont un acide aminé non protéique, un dipeptide et un céramide identifiés pour la première fois dans un lichen et le cérévistérol jusqu'ici non décrit dans D. luridum. Les activités cytotoxiques et photoprotectrives des composés disponibles en quantité suffisante ont été évaluées. Le cérévistérol a montré une cytotoxicité modérée sur huit lignées cellulaires contrairement aux cinq autres composés. Les propriétés photoprotectrices et activités antioxydantes de l'ester éthylique de la mycosporine glutamicol et d'un extrait aqueux semi-purifié de D. miniatum présentent un intérêt pour un possible développement comme actif solaire. / A screening of mycosporine-like compounds in four hydrophilic Dermatocarpon lichen species has highlighted the unexpected occurrence of such metabolites in chlorolichens. These compounds were confirmed and quantified in historical herbarium samples (15-50 mg) even more than 170 years old. Total mycosporine contents ranged from 0.1 to 1.4 mg/g of dry lichens. Two genuine mycosporines (mycosporine glutaminol and the more stable mycosporine glutamicol) with an artifact mycosporine glutamicol ethyl ester were isolated from Dermatocarpon luridum collected in a breton river. Their physico-chemical properties were also determined including pKa. The phytochemical studies led to the isolation of seven additional compounds in which a non-protein amino acid, a dipeptide and a ceramide were identified for the first time in lichens and cerevisterol for the first time in D. luridum. Compounds obtained in suitable quantity were evaluated for their cytotoxic and photoprotective properties. Except a moderate cytotoxicity of cerevisterol, the five tested compounds were not found toxic on the eight cell lines. Photoprotective properties of the mycosporine glutamicol ethyl ester and a semi-purified aqueous extract of Dermatocarpon miniatum along with some antioxidant activities are promising to develop new sunscreens.

Although mass coral bleaching events are generally triggered by high seawater temperatures, experiments have demonstrated that corals and reef-dwelling foraminifers bleach more readily when exposed to high energy, short wavelength solar radiation (blue, violet and ultraviolet [UVR]: Lambda ~ 280 - 490 nm). In seawater, colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), also called gelbstoff, preferentially absorbs these shorter wavelengths, which consequently bleach and degrade the CDOM. Alteration of watersheds and destruction of coastal wetlands have reduced natural sources of CDOM to reefal waters. I tested the null hypothesis that CDOM does not differ between reefs that differ in coral health, and that water transparency to UVR is not a factor in reef health. I measured absorption of UVR and UV irradiance at various reefs in the Florida Keys that differ in distance from shore and degree of anthropogenic development of the adjacent shoreline. My results show that intact shoreline - associated reefs and inshore reefs tend to be exposed to lower intensities of UVR, and lower degrees of photic stress, than developed shoreline - associated reefs and offshore reefs. Absorption due to CDOM (ag320) was higher, and photic stress, as revealed by increased production of UV-absorbing compounds, Mycosporine - like Amino Acids (MAAs), was lower at the surface compared to the bottom. The following results support my conclusion: ag320 and UV attenuation coefficients (Kd 's) were higher at intact compared to developed shoreline - associated reefs, and at inshore compared to offshore reefs. Spectral slope, S, was higher at offshore compared to inshore reefs, indicating a higher degree of photobleaching of CDOM. Relative expression of MAAs was higher at developed compared to intact shoreline - associated reefs, at offshore reefs compared to inshore reefs, and at the surface compared to the bottom. Solar energy reaching the benthos at two inshore reefs of the same depth (6m) was approximately an order of magnitude higher at the reef near developed shoreline compared to the reef near intact shoreline, and may be due to greater degree of diffuseness of the underwater light field combined with lower ag at the developed shoreline-associated reef.

Aminoácidos tipo micosporinas (MAAs) são compostos responsáveis pela fotoproteção no ultravioleta de diversos organismos aquáticos. São sintetizados pela via do ácido chiquímico por algas, bactérias e fungos, de maneira similar à síntese de flavonóides em plantas superiores. Neste trabalho foram conduzidos estudos relacionados a estes compostos em algas. Protocolos de extração de diferentes algas foram testados alterando-se parâmetros como solventes, temperatura e condições de incubação. Os resultados mostraram que dependendo da alga estudada, diferentes condições podem mudar a concentração de MAAs extraída, ressaltando a importância de se testar diversos parâmetros na extração, evitando assim valores sub- ou superestimados de concentrações. O desenvolvimento de um método por HPLC permitiu a separação de 6 MAAs com boa resolução. A caracterização estrutural foi realizada majoritariamente por espectrometria de massas utilizando diferentes tipos de analisadores. Estas análises permitiram a proposição de mecanismos de fragmentação descritos pela primeira vez para esta classe de compostos e possibilitaram a identificação de diferentes MAAs em algumas micro e macroalgas. Ensaios in vitro foram realizados com o extrato obtido da macroalga Gracilaria domingensis no intuito de avaliar seu potencial uso em formulações cosméticas direcionadas à fotoproteção. Os testes de estabilidade quanto ao pH, temperatura e exposição à radiação ultravioleta bem como os ensaios de citotoxicidade, fototoxicidade e avaliação do fator de proteção solar sugeriram que este extrato pode ser promissor quando incorporado em formulações direcionadas para a fotoproteção. Este extrato não apresentou atividade antioxidante significativa. Os estudos com o dinoflagelado Prorocentrum minimum isolado de duas regiões diferentes, quando exposto às radiações ultravioleta, mostraram que houve uma indução das MAAs em ambas linhagens em todos os tratamentos realizados no período de 72 h. A indução foi mais rápida e pronunciada na linhagem oriunda de Lisboa, em Portugal do que na linhagem proveniente de Kattegat, na Dinamarca. Estes dados estão de acordo com as características do local de origem das linhagens, uma vez que os dinoflagelados originários de Portugal em seu meio natural estavam sujeitos a maiores irradiações. Medidas do rendimento quântico do fotossistema II indicaram que a síntese e acúmulo de MAAs em P. minimum isolada de Lisboa ofereceu vantagens na proteção do sistema fotossintético e na supressão de espécies reativas de oxigênio desta microalga quando comparada aos indivíduos da mesma espécie de regiões com menores irradiações. / Mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are chemically related water soluble compounds responsible for UV photoprotection in many aquatic organisms. They are biosynthesized via the shikimate pathway by algae, bacteria and fungi in a similar manner to the biosynthesis of UV-screening flavonoids in terrestrial plants. In this work, studies related to this class of compounds were performed with algae. Extraction protocols of some algae were tested using diverse solvents at different temperature. The results showed that depending on the organism examined, both solvent concentration and temperature affected extraction efficiency and final MAA concentration. The improvement of a HPLC method separated a mix of 6 MAAs with good resolution. The structural characterization was made by mass spectrometry using different analyzers. The analysis by mass spectrometry allowed the proposition of new mechanisms of fragmentation and identification of different MAAs in some micro and macroalgae. In vitro preliminary assays were performed to evaluate the potential use of Gracilaria domingensis extract in suncare products. The extract showed no antioxidant activity, however the pH, temperature and UV exposure stability, as well the citotoxicity, phototoxicity and sun protection factor showed a potential commercial utilization for the extracts. The UV exposure experiments with the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum isolated from Lisbon, Portugal and Kattegat, Denmark, showed that MAAs were induced in all treatments during 72 h. The induction was faster in the species from Lisbon than the ones from Kattegat. These data are in agreement with local isolation place, since the dinoflagellates from Portugal are submitted to high irradiance regime in their natural enviroment. The quantum yield of photosystem II suggested that the over production of MAAs by P. Minimum from Lisbon protects the photosynthetic apparatus, indicating that MAAs act as spectrally specific UV sunscreens in phytoplankton.