<i>Spongia officinalis</i> -Associated <i>Pseudomonas fluorescens</i> as a Reservoir of Bioactive Compounds: A Novel Source of Natural Anticancer Compounds

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Marine sponges are an important source of chemical variety and a repository of biodiversity. In this study, the microbial communities found in the marine sponge Spongia officinalis that was taken from the Kanyakumari coast in India were explored. We identified, characterized, and evaluated the bioactive potential of the sponge-associated bacteria. A total of 12 bacterial isolates were obtained, primarily consisting of gram-positive rods and some gram-negative rods and cocci. These bacterial isolates showed a variety of bioactive substances when their secondary metabolites were extracted, including phenols, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, terpenoids, and steroids. These chemical compounds are well-known for their numerous biological activity and health benefits. The antioxidant and anticancer effects of these metabolites were also investigated. Isolate 6 showed significant antioxidant activity, suggesting it may be able to treat cancer. With an IC50 value of 55.32 g/ml, this isolate also displayed impressive anticancer activity against HeLa cells. The screened isolate was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens strain ATCC 13525 using 16S rRNA sequencing. This discovery emphasizes the importance of bacteria associated with marine sponges as a source of bioactive compounds with medicinal potential. The conclusion of this research highlights the diverse microbial communities found in marine sponges and their potential for use in biotechnology and medication development. Pseudomonas fluorescens was found to be a prolific generator of bioactive byproducts, including strong antioxidants and anticancer agents, which emphasizes the significance of additional marine resource exploitation for pharmacologically relevant chemicals.