Rapid geographical differentiation of the European spread brown macroalga Sargassum muticum using HRMAS NMR and Fourier-Transform Infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

Two recent techniques based on chemical footprinting analysis, HRMAS NMR and FTIR spectroscopy, were tested on a brown macroalgal model. These powerful and easily-to-use techniques allowed us to discriminate Sargassum muticum specimens collected in five different countries along Atlantic coasts, from Portugal to Norway. HRMAS NMR and FTIR permitted the obtaining of an overview of metabolites produced by the alga. Based on spectra analysis, results allowed us to successfully group the samples according to their geographical origin. HRMAS NMR and FTIR spectroscopy respectively point out the relation between the geographical localization and the chemical composition and demonstrated macromolecules variations regarding to environmental stress. Then, our results are discussed in regard of the powerful of these techniques together with the variability of the main molecules produced by Sargassum muticum along the Atlantic coasts.

Keywords: FTIR spectroscopy; Geographical origin discrimination; HRMAS NMR; Latitudinal gradient; Sargassum muticum.