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MOJ
eISSN: 2374-6920

Proteomics & Bioinformatics

Mini Review Volume 7 Issue 5

Review about the importance of skin mucus from asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus)

Ayah Rebhi Hilles,1 Syed Mahmood,2,3 Mohd Arifin Kaderi,1 Ridzwan Hashim1

1Department of Biomedical Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia
2Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, University Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia
3Centre of Excellence for Advanced Research in Fluid Flow (CARIFF), University Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia

Correspondence: Ayah Rebhi Hilles, Department of Biomedical Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia

Received: September 19, 2018 | Published: October 5, 2018

Citation: Hilles AR, Mahmood S, Kaderi MA, et al. Review about the importance of skin mucus from asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus). MOJ Proteomics Bioinform. 2018;7(5):152-153. DOI: 10.15406/mojpb.2018.07.00249

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Keywords

monopterus albus, insect larvae, shrimps, cray fish, frogs, tadpoles

Taxonomy and distribution of asian swamp eel

Asian swamp eel, Monopterus albus belongs to the family synbranchidae under the order synbranchiformes.1 It is originating in the East and Southeast Asian countries.2 It is feed on small fishes, prawns, worms, snails, insect larvae, shrimps, cray fish, frogs and tadpoles. It was also found that swamp eel consumed phytoplankton, benthic algae and organic debris.3 It lives in muddy areas, rice paddies, ponds and slow flowing currents, it has a unique morphological elongated body, similar to snake, covered with mucus without scales or fins, it has the ability to breathe air through the buccal mucosa, and it is hermaphrodite as it can undergo sex reversal naturally,4,5 but the exact mechanism still unknown.6

Biological activities of asian swamp eel skin mucus

Asian swamp eel mucus is secreted by the epidermal goblet cells in the epidermis which composed from inorganic salts, immunoglobulins, lipids and gel forming macromolecules such as mucins, and other glycoproteins suspended in water,7 which giving the mucus lubricating properties.8 The mucus layer is continuously replaced which protect the eel from stable colonization by bacteria, parasites and fungi.9 The functional properties of the mucus depend on its ability to form a gel on the epithelial surface,10 which produce antimicrobial molecules serve as the first line of a host’s defense against microbial invasion.11 The mucopolysaccharides in the mucus has a high value for immunoprotection and defense mechanism.12,13 It has been proven that mucin has potential of antimicrobial and noxious properties,14 as it plays an important role to protect the eel from pathogens.15 Overall mucus layer on the surface of eel functions as a physical and biochemical barrier between eel and its environment.16

Antimicrobial activities

Asian swap eel skin mucus contains antimicrobial peptides cause formation of pores in bacterial membranes which leads to bacterial killing, moreover the mucus has anti‒bacterial proteins can affect essential bacterial functions by binding to DNA in the bacteria.17,18 It has been demonstrated that mucus prevents the colonization of pathogenic micro‒organisms on the surface of the eel.19 M albus swamp eel skin mucus has a performance assessment for determining malachite green,20 which has antimicrobial properties.21 It has been also claimed that the soluble and insoluble proteins in the mucus are responsible for the Antimicrobial and haemolytic activities.22

Antibacterial activities

Antibacterial proteins/peptides have been found in the skin mucus of different fish species including Asian swamp eel.23‒26 Different extracts have been used of M albus to test the antibacterial activity and the results showed a significant bacteriostatic effect of these extracts.27

Antifungal activities

It has been reported that M albus extracts have higher anti‒fungal activity as compared to ampicillin.27 It has been proven also that eel skin mucus extract from Asian local swamp eel, M albus has antifungal activities against Candida krusei, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and Fusarium species.28

Anticancer activities

It has been showed that the eel skin mucus generally considers as a promising candidate to be used as anti‒tumor therapy because of induction mitochondria‒mediated apoptosis through membrane interaction against K562 human leukemia cells.29 Specifically, M albus showed higher levels of antiproliferative activity.

Acknowledgements

None.

Conflict of interest

The authors declared that there is no conflict of Interest.

References

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©2018 Hilles, et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially.

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