다슬기는 예로부터 간염, 간경화, 지방간 등의 치료 및 개선에 이용되어 왔으며, 특히 소변불통, 소갈증(당뇨) 등의 약용으로 이용되어 왔다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 다슬기를 대상으로 항당뇨에 대한 효능을 과학적으로 검증하고 그 기작을 규명하고자 하였다. 먼저 다슬기의 생물학적 기능성을 높이기 위해 효소 가수분해를 실시하였으며, protamex 에 의한 가수분해도는 10시간 후 약 43% 수준을 나타내었다. PTP1B는 인슐린 신호전달기전에서 IRS-1의 인산화를 방해하여 인슐린 민감성을 저해시키는 효소이다. protamex 를 이용한 다슬기 가수분해물(MPH)의 PTP1B에 대한 저해 활성은 15.42±1.1 μg/mL의 IC50 값을 나타내어 양성대조군 ursolic acid의 16.7 μg/mL 보다 높은 저해활성을 보이면서 강한 항당뇨 활성 소재로서의 가능성을 보였다. 이에 따라 유리지방산을 이용하여 C2C12 myoblast에서 인슐린 저항성을 유도하고, MPH에 의한 포도당 흡수 정도를 확인하였다. 그 결과, 1 mM PA 처리에 의해 약 32% 수준으로 떨어진 포도당 흡수율은 MPH 처리에 의해 약 199% 수준으로 증가 하였다. 또한 장기간 고농도의 포도당(30 mM)에 의해 유도된 당독성 조건에서 MPH는 췌장의 베타세포 INS-1 세포의 생존율을 증가시키고, 대조군에 비해 약 160% 인슐린 mRNA 발현량을 증가시켰다. 이러한 결과에서 MPH는 PTP1B 활성을 저해함으로써 인슐린 신호전달 기작을 활성 화하고, 인슐린저항성 환경에서 포도당 흡수를 증진시켜 인슐린저항성을 개선하며, 나아가 고농도 포도당에 의해 유도되는 당독성환경에서 췌장 베타세포를 보호하고 인슐린 mRNA발현량을 정상화할 수 있다는 것을 확인할 수 있었다.

We constructed marine forest to restore barren grounds which are expanding in the east coast of Korea using 2 methods of (1)seedlings transplantation method and (2)underwater floating ropes method. We transplanted 3 macroalgae species, Ecklonia cava, Undaria pinnatifida, and Saccharina. japonica to construct marine forest. Blade length of Undaria pinnatifida on underwater floating ropes was 56.70±8.69㎜ in April and grew 68.75±22.30㎜ in May and 70.75±14.36㎜ in July. Blade length of S. japonica was shown 97.95-143.00㎜ in April to June. Blade length of Ecklonia cava was 30.50±1.91㎜ in May, 41.55±1.84㎜ in August, 45.30±2.57㎜ in November, 2009 and 45.30±1.99㎜ in February, 2010. The survey on Dangsa area, Ulsan-city in January, 2009 found a total number of 15 algal species(1 brown algae, 14 red algae species) with the highest variety at 5m depth of A station and the lowest at 8m depth of A and B stations. The March survey showed a total of 24 species (1 green algae, 1 brown algae, 22 red algae species) with the highest variety of 11 at depths of 3m and 5m of B station and the lowest of 6 at 10m of B station. In May, total biomass was 3,755.4g (green algae 1.2g, brown algae 199.0g, red algae 3,555.2g). From January, 2009, we found that E. cava was dominant at the depths of 3m and 5m of A and B stations while Peyssonnelia capensis was dominant at the depth of 8m of A station. The 8m depth of B station was dominated by Acrosorium polyneurum. In May, Grateloupia lanceolata was dominant at 8m depth of A station while other depths were dominated by Phycodrys fimbriata. In June, the dominant species were G. lanceolata at the 3m depth, E. cava at the 5m and P. fimbriata at the depths of 8m and 10m of A station. Under B station, G. lanceolata was dominant at the depths of 3m and 5m while P. fimbriata was dominant at the depths of 8m and 10m.

An eco-friendly integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) farming technique was developed with the goal of resolving eutrophication by excess feed and feces as fish-farming by-products. A variety of seaweed species were tried to remove inorganic nutrients produced by fish farming. However, there have been few trials to use Sargassum fulvellum in an IMTA system, a species with a relatively wide distribution across regions with various habitat conditions, great nutrient removal efficiency and importance for human food source and industrial purposes. In this regard, our study tried to examine feasibility of using S. fulvellum in an IMTA system by analyzing growth characteristics of the species in an IMTA system comprising of rockfish (Sebastes shlegeli), sea cucumber (Stichopus japonocus) and the tried S. fulvellum (October 2011 – November 2012). We also monitored environment conditions around the system including current speed, water temperature and inorganic nutrient level as they may affect growth of S. fulvellum. S. fulvellum in the IMTA system, which were 15.72±5.67 mm long at the start of the experiment in October 2011, grew to a maximum of 1093±271.13 mm by May 2012. In September, seaweed growth was reduced to a minimum of 280±70.43 mm in length. Then, S. fulvellum began to grow again reaching 325±196.19 mm by November 2012. Wet weight of the seaweed was 4.01±1.89 g at the start of the experiment and reached a maximum of 109.26±34.23 g in May. The weight gradually declined to a low of 15.12±8.40 g in September 2012. Weight began to increase once more, rising to 39.27±21.69 g by November. During the experiment, the average velocity at the surface and the bottom was 6.5 cm/s and 3.4 cm/s, respectively. The water temperature ranged 5.0-23.5℃, which was considered suitable for growing S. fulvellum. Results of the study indicated no significant differences in inorganic nutrients between pre- and post-IMTA installation. It was thus concluded that S. fulvellum can be a suitable seaweed species to be used in an IMTA system.