Ecological interactions in the marine environment are now recognized to be partly held by chemical cues produced by marine organisms. In particular, sponges are sessile animals thought to rely on the bioactive substances they synthesize to ensure their development and defense. However, the mechanisms leading the sponges to use their specialized metabolites as chemical cues remain unknown. Here ...

Wide application of antibiotics has contributed to the evolution of multi-drug resistant human pathogens, resulting in poorer treatment outcomes for infections. In the marine environment, seawater samples have been investigated as a resistance reservoir; however, no studies have methodically examined sponges as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance. Sponges could be important in this respect bec...

Microbial diversity and spatial distribution of the diversity within tissue of the marine sponge Tethya californiana was analyzed based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. One candidate division and nine bacterial phyla were detected, including members of all five subdivisions of Proteobacteria. Moreover, chloroplast-derived Stramenopiles- and Rhodophyta-affiliated 16S rRNA gene sequences were found an...

Marine sponges often contain diverse and abundant microbial communities, including bacteria, archaea, microalgae, and fungi. In some cases, these microbial associates comprise as much as 40% of the sponge volume and can contribute significantly to host metabolism (e.g., via photosynthesis or nitrogen fixation). We review in detail the diversity of microbes associated with sponges, including ext...

The carbon metabolism of two marine sponges, Haliclona oculata and Dysidea avara, has been studied using a 13C isotope pulse-chase approach. The sponges were fed 13C-labeled diatoms (Skeletonema costatum) for 8 h and they took up between 75 and 85%. At different times, sponges were sampled for total 13C enrichment, and fatty acid (FA) composition and 13C enrichment. Algal biomarkers present in ...

Marine bioresources are a valuable source of bioactive compounds with industrial and nutraceutical potential. Numerous clinical trials evaluating novel chemotherapeutic agents derived from marine sources have revealed novel mechanisms of action. Recently, marine-derived bioactive peptides have attracted attention owing to their numerous beneficial effects. Moreover, several studies have reporte...

BACKGROUND Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors or anticholinesterases reduce the activity of enzyme acetylcholinesterase that degrades the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain. The inhibitors have a significant pharmacological role in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's etc. Although plants have been a significant source of these compounds, there are very few s...

The newly developed assay system using recombinant Leishmania amazonensis expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (La/egfp) has been applied to the screening of Japanese marine sponges for antileishmanial activity. Bioassay-guided fractionation of an active sponge Neopetrosia sp. afforded an active compound which was identified as renieramycin A by spectroscopic analysis. It inhibited La/...

Phyllospongia, one of the most common marine sponges in tropical and subtropical oceans, has been shown to be a prolific producer of natural products with a broad spectrum of biological activities. This review for the first time provides a comprehensive overview of secondary metabolites produced by Phyllospongia spp. over the 37 years from 1980 to 2016.

Title of Dissertation: ROLES OF THE SYMBIOTIC MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH SPONGE HOSTS IN THE NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS CYCLES Fan Zhang, Doctor of Philosophy, 2015 Directed By: Dr. Russell T. Hill, Professor, Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Marine sponges are habitat-forming organisms in coral reefs. Many sponge ...