Activity of phase I and phase II detoxication enzymes in Antarctic and Arctic macroalgae

Presented data demonstrate the existence of various phase I and phase II de toxication enzymes in nine species of Antarctic and Arctic macroalgae culti vated under laboratory conditions. The different enzyme activities were wid ely distributed in the tested Chlorophyta, Phaeophyta and Rhodophyta. Conce rning the cytochrome P-450 monooxygenase system, it was possible to determi ne several activities for fatty acid substrates such as lauric acid, palmit ic acid and stearic acid and furthermore for 3-chlorobiphenyl, a xenobiotic substrate. The conversion of the 3-chlorobiphenyl to a monohydroxymonochlo robiphenyl was established using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-M S). Also phase II enzyme activity such as microsomal and soluble glutathion e S-transferases and O- and N-glucosyltransferases were detected in these m arine algae. These results point to similarities with detoxication in mamma lian liver and confirm the concept of the 'green liver' described previousl y and extend this concept also to marine plants, which may be important as a sink because of their large biomass. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.