Decoding the Molecular Mechanism of Bioactive Compounds Derived from Microalgae via Transcriptomics Data and...

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Molecular Biology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Microalgae are sustainable sources of bioactive compounds with potential applications in various industries.
• Understanding the molecular mechanisms of these compounds is crucial for identifying therapeutic uses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of microalgae-derived bioactive compounds using integrative bioinformatics.
• To identify potential therapeutic applications, particularly in immune and metabolic diseases.

Main Methods:

• Utilized gene expression profiles from GEO datasets (GSE113144, GSE115827).
• Identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using GEO2R and constructed a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network.
• Cross-validated findings using bioinformatics tools, databases, and literature review.

Main Results:

• Identified 2051 DEGs after oxo-fatty acid treatment and 399 DEGs after sea spray aerosol treatment, with 39 shared genes.
• Discovered ten key hub genes (PBK, CENPA, ASPM, DLGAP5, DEPDC1, SPC25, CDCA3, HJURP, ERCC6L, KIF18B) involved in immune and metabolic processes.
• Highlighted roles in cholesterol/fatty-acyl-CoA binding and identified PBK and CDCA3 as druggable targets.

Conclusions:

• Enriched molecular functions suggest pharmacologically actionable pathways for diseases like NAFLD and chronic inflammation.
• Identified druggable hub genes and immune-metabolic functions provide a basis for further research.
• This study enhances understanding of microalgae's therapeutic potential in drug discovery and nutraceutical development.