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1. Examination of two zooplankton species predominating in fish ponds, Daphnia magna and Chironomus larvae, revealed the presence of alpha- and beta-carotene, echinenone, canthaxanthin and 3-hydroxy-4-oxo-beta-carotene in Daphnia, and beta-carotene and cryptoxanthin ester in Chironomus. No specific provitamins A(2) (containing a 3,4-dehydro-beta-ionone ring) were detected. 2. Guppies (Lebistes ...

Recent analyses of the orange, red, and purple plumages of cotingas (Cotingidae) and broadbills (Eurylaimidae) revealed the presence of novel carotenoid molecules, suggesting that the diversity of pigments and the metabolic transformations they undergo are not yet fully understood. Two Old World orioles, the Black-and-Crimson Oriole Oriolus cruentus, and the Maroon Oriole Oriolus traillii, exhi...

OBJECTIVES This work aimed to enhance anti-skin cancer activities of Apostichopus japonicus, spiky sea cucumber, through ultrasonification extraction process at low temperature. METHODS Dried Apostichopus japonicus was extracted with an ultrasonification process at 50°C and 95 kHz for two hours (UE), and anti-skin cancer activities of the extract from the UE were also compared with those from...

In addition to canthaxanthin, seven pigment fractions were isolated from Micrococcus roseus. They were purified by solvent partitioning and by column and thin-layer chromatography. Visible absorption spectra, chromatographic behavior, and partition coefficients of the pigments and derivatives prepared from the pigments were used in characterizing them. Both alpha- and beta-carotene derivatives ...

Male breeding plumages of African widowbirds and bishops (Euplectes spp.) show striking variation in carotenoid-based plumage coloration, with saturated yellow or orange-red patches of different size. Yet, from observations and experiments, agonistic signaling appears to have been a generalized sexual selection pressure for redness in the genus. Recent results show that yellow and red widowbird...

The isolation and characterization of the lycopene ε-cyclase gene from the green microalga Chlorella (Chromochloris) zofingiensis (Czlcy-e) was performed. This gene is involved in the formation of the carotenoids α-carotene and lutein. Czlcy-e gene encoded a polypeptide of 654 amino acids. A single copy of Czlcy-e was found in C. zofingiensis. Functional analysis by heterologous complementation...