Sponge Research Articles

Exploring implications of wave characteristics on the functionality of mimetic tubular sponges

Marine sponges influence the flow hydrodynamics by suction/pumping mechanism. They provide a recirculation flow and remove pollutants from their residence. Previous studies have validated the efficacy of mimetic sponges in improving momentum transfer in marine environments. This study endeavors to explore the impact of wave characteristics (i.e., wave height and period) on the momentum transfer near the mimetic sponges. Both physical and numerical simulations were undertaken to explore this phenomenon. Experimental results unveiled that the efficiency of the mimetic sponge is contingent upon some circumstances. When waves have a short period and height, the suction effects prevail. In such cases, orbital velocity tends to be in a negative direction, leading to suppressed fluctuating velocities and a reduction in turbulent kinetic energy throughout the water column. Thus, the penetration of the shear layer to the water column and occurrence of wake-street diminish. Conversely, an increase in wave height enhances the momentum exchange through the water column. Surface Line Integral Convolution and Three-Dimensional stream trace visualizations using OpenFOAM provide insights into the generation of spirals and vortices through the water column induced by mimetic sponges.

Marine Sponge Xestospongia sp.: A Promising Source for Tuberculosis Drug Development - Computational Insights into Mycobactin Biosynthesis Inhibition

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) remains the leading cause of infection, with a significant fatality rate, owing primarily to drug resistance. MTB contains the enzyme salicylate synthase, which regulates mycobactin production to bind iron ions from the host cell, facilitating the bacteria to grow and reproduce. This study investigates the potential of marine sponges to inhibit the MTB salicylate synthase by exploiting a computational approach combining molecular docking and dynamics simulations. Forty-six compounds from Xestospongia sp. were chosen from the Marine Natural Products database. The docking results selected four compounds (CMNPD15071, CMNPD7640, CMNPD26706, and CMNPD7639) from this sponge, which provide more negative binding energy than their inhibitors (RVE). After reclassifying their interactions, such as hydrophobic and hydrogen bonds, CMNPD15071 (Sulfuric acid mono-(8-methoxy-12b-methyl-6-oxo-2,3,6,12b-tetrahydro-1H-5-oxa-benzo[k]acephenanthrylen-11-yl) ester) and CMNPD7640 (secoadociaquinone B) performed molecular dynamics simulations to assess their stability. These two compounds show a promising stability profile compared to RVE based on RMSD, RMSF, SASA, and gyration analysis. Furthermore, the binding affinity prediction of these two compounds using the MM/GBSA calculation method reveals that CMNPD15071 (-38.48 kJ/mol) had the highest affinity for binding to MTB salicylate synthase compared to RVE (-35.36 kJ/mol) and CMNPD7640 (-26.03 kJ/mol). These findings demonstrate that compounds from Xestospongia sp. can block MTB mycobactin biosynthesis by inhibiting salicylate synthase.

Fighting nature with nature: antiviral compounds that target retroviruses.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a type of lentivirus that targets the human immune system and leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) at a later stage. Up to 2021, there are millions still living with HIV and many have lost their lives. To date, many anti-HIV compounds have been discovered in living organisms, especially plants and marine sponges. However, no treatment can offer a complete cure, but only suppressing it with a life-long medication, known as combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) which are often associated with various adverse effects. Also, it takes many years for a discovered compound to be approved for clinical use. Thus, by employing advanced technologies such as automation, conducting systematic screening and testing protocols may boost the discovery and development of potent and curative therapeutics for HIV infection/AIDS. In this review, we aim to summarize the antiretroviral therapies/compounds and their associated drawbacks since the discovery of azidothymidine. Additionally, we aim to provide an updated analysis of the most recent discoveries of promising antiretroviral candidates, along with an exploration of the current limitations within antiretroviral research. Finally, we intend to glean insightful perspectives and propose future research directions in this crucial area of study.

Multiomics integration for the function of bacterial outer membrane vesicles in the larval settlement of marine sponges.

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) contain a variety of chemical compounds and play significant roles in maintaining symbiotic relationships in a changing ocean, but little is known about their function, particularly in sponge larval development. During the growth of sponge Tedania sp., OMVs from Bacteroidetes species significantly promoted larval settlement, and Tenacibaculum mesophilum SP-7-OMVs were selected as a representative strain for further investigation. According to OMVs metabolomics, larval settlement might be connected to organic acids and derivatives. The multiomics analysis of the T. mesophilum genome, SP-7-OMVs metabolome, and larval transcriptome revealed 47 shared KEGG pathways. Among the number of candidate metabolites, arginine was chosen for its greater ability to increase the settlement rate and its role as the principal substrate for nitric oxide (NO) synthesis of sponge larvae. In summary, these results demonstrated that sponge-associated bacteria might utilize OMVs and their cargo to support host development and make up for host metabolic pathway deficiencies. This study enhances our fundamental knowledge of OMVs in interactions between metazoan hosts and microorganisms that are crucial in the coevolution of marine ecosystems and the complex marine environment.

Cell cycle dynamics of food-entrapping cells of sponges: an experimental approach.

Sponges (phylum Porifera) exhibit surprisingly complex tissue dynamics, maintaining constant cell turnover and migration, rearranging internal structures, and regenerating after severe injuries. Such tissue plasticity relies on the activity of proliferating cells represented primarily by the food-entrapping cells, choanocytes. Although there are plenty of studies regarding the dynamics of regeneration and tissue rearrangement in sponges, cell cycle kinetics of choanocytes in intact tissues remains a controversial issue. This study is devoted to the comparative description of choanocyte cell cycle dynamics in intact tissues of two sponges, Halisarca dujardinii (class Demospongiae) and Leucosolenia corallorrhiza (class Calcarea). We have identified populations of proliferating cells and synchronized them in the S-phase to estimate the growth fraction of cycling cells. Using continuous exposure to labeled thymidine analog ethynyl deoxyuridine (EdU), we calculated choanocyte cell cycle duration and the length of the S phase. We also applied double labeling with EdU and antibodies against phosphorylated histone 3 to estimate the lengths of choanocyte M and G2 phases. Finally, flow-cytometry-based quantitative analysis of DNA content provided us with the lengths of G2 and G1 phases. We found that tissue growth and renewal in the studied sponges are generally maintained by a relatively large population of slowly cycling choanocytes with a total cell cycle duration of 40 h in H. dujardinii and 60 h in L. corallorrhiza. In both species, choanocytes are characterized by an extremely short M-phase and heterogeneity in the duration of the G2 phase.

Petrosamine isolated from marine sponge Petrosia sp. demonstrates protection against neurotoxicity in vitro and in vivo

According to The World Alzheimer Report 2023 by Alzheimer’s Disease International (ADI) estimates that 33 to 38.5 million people worldwide suffer from Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). A crucial hallmark associated with this disease is associated with the deficiency of the brain neurotransmitter acetylcholine, due to an affected acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. Marine organisms synthesize several classes of compounds, some of which exhibit significant AChE inhibition, such as petrosamine, a coloured pyridoacridine alkaloid. The aim of this work was to characterize the activity of petrosamine isolated for the first time from a Brazilian marine sponge, using two neurotoxicity models with aluminium chloride, as exposure to aluminium is associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases. The in vitro model was based in a neuroblastoma cell line and the in vivo model exploited the potential of zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos in mimicking hallmarks of AD. To our knowledge, this is the first report on petrosamine’s activity over these parameters, either in vitro or in vivo, in order to characterize its full potential for tackling neurotoxicity.Graphical

Natural products as a source of Coronavirus entry inhibitors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and lasting impact on the world. Four years on, despite the existence of effective vaccines, the continuous emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants remains a challenge for long-term immunity. Additionally, there remain few purpose-built antivirals to protect individuals at risk of severe disease in the event of future coronavirus outbreaks. A promising mechanism of action for novel coronavirus antivirals is the inhibition of viral entry. To facilitate entry, the coronavirus spike glycoprotein interacts with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on respiratory epithelial cells. Blocking this interaction and consequently viral replication may be an effective strategy for treating infection, however further research is needed to better characterize candidate molecules with antiviral activity before progressing to animal studies and clinical trials. In general, antiviral drugs are developed from purely synthetic compounds or synthetic derivatives of natural products such as plant secondary metabolites. While the former is often favored due to the higher specificity afforded by rational drug design, natural products offer several unique advantages that make them worthy of further study including diverse bioactivity and the ability to work synergistically with other drugs. Accordingly, there has recently been a renewed interest in natural product-derived antivirals in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This review provides a summary of recent research into coronavirus entry inhibitors, with a focus on natural compounds derived from plants, honey, and marine sponges.

A Survey of Recently Discovered Naturally Occurring Organohalogen Compounds.

The discovery of naturally occurring organohalogen compounds has increased astronomically in the 55 years since they were first discovered─from fewer than 50 in 1968 to a combined 7,958 described examples in three comprehensive reviews. The present survey, which covers the period 2021-2023, brings the number of known natural organohalogens to approximately 8,400. The organization is according to species origin, and coverage includes marine and terrestrial plants, fungi, bacteria, marine sponges, corals, cyanobacteria, tunicates, and other marine organisms.

Impacts of humic substances, elevated temperature, and UVB radiation on bacterial communities of the marine sponge Chondrilla sp.

Sponges are abundant components of coral reefs known for their filtration capabilities and intricate interactions with microbes. They play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance of coral reefs. Humic substances (HS) affect bacterial communities across terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems. However, the specific effects of HS on sponge-associated microbial symbionts have largely been neglected. Here, we used a randomized-controlled microcosm setup to investigate the independent and interactive effects of HS, elevated temperature, and UVB radiation on bacterial communities associated with the sponge Chondrilla sp. Our results indicated the presence of a core bacterial community consisting of relatively abundant members, apparently resilient to the tested environmental perturbations, alongside a variable bacterial community. Elevated temperature positively affected the relative abundances of ASVs related to Planctomycetales and members of the families Pseudohongiellaceae and Hyphomonadaceae. HS increased the relative abundances of several ASVs potentially involved in recalcitrant organic matter degradation (e.g., the BD2-11 terrestrial group, Saccharimonadales, and SAR202 clade). There was no significant independent effect of UVB and there were no significant interactive effects of HS, heat, and UVB on bacterial diversity and composition. The significant, independent impact of HS on the composition of sponge bacterial communities suggests that alterations to HS inputs may have cascading effects on adjacent marine ecosystems.

Evaluation of synthetic sponge to control wave-induced currents in coastal waters

Based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program, climate change causes coral bleaching. In response to the high roughness of coral colonies and reduced current velocity, coral reefs in near-shore regions are susceptible to accumulation of pollutants or sediments. This threatens coral reef ecosystems and causes several challenges. Controlling the wave velocity, Turbulent Kinetic Energy (TKE), and vortical structures help enhance advection/diffusion of particles from coral reef zones.In the current study, a device inspired by a marine sponge (synthetic sponge), was designed. A suction/pumping function was devised through two concentric perforated cylinders to simulate this mechanism in the synthetic sponge. Several physical and numerical experiments (using OpenFOAM software considering RANS modeling) were carried out to investigate the effects of geometrical characteristics (i.e., cylinder and perforation diameters) of synthetic sponge on wave hydrodynamics. Accordingly, wave attenuation, mean horizontal and orbital velocities, turbulent kinetic energy, and vortex structures were evaluated. In summary, the results indicated that the pumping flow can act as an energy recovery downstream of the sponge, and the horizontal velocity and TKE growing in the water column due to generation of special vortices. Therefore, the current synthetic sponge can improve momentum transfer.

Isolation and absolute configuration of alkylpyridine alkaloids from the marine sponge Hippospongia lachne

Marine sponges are well known as prolific producers of structurally diverse molecules with valuable pharmacological potential. As part of our ongoing program to discover bioactive compounds from marine sponges collected from the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea, a chemical study on the specimens of Hippospongia lachne was conducted. As a result, eight undescribed compounds, including four zwitterionic alkylpyridinium salts, hippospondines A−D (1−4), and four 3-alkylpyridine alkaloids, hippospondines E (5), F (6), and (±)-hippospondine G (7), were isolated from the marine sponge H. lachne, together with one known 3-alkylpyridine alkaloid (8). The undescribed structures were elucidated by HRESIMS, NMR, DP4+ and CP3 probability analysis, and the Snatzke's method. Hippospondines A−D (1−4) represent the rare example of inner salt type alkylpyridinium alkaloid with a farnesyl moiety. Compounds 1−3 and 8 were subjected to cytotoxic and lymphocyte proliferation assays. Compound 3 exhibited a weak promotion effect on the ConA-induced T lymphocyte proliferation.

Marine sponges of the rocky reefs of Punta Amapala, El Salvador, eastern Tropical Pacific

Sponges represent one of the groups with the greatest abundance and diversity among invertebrates. They tolerate a wide range of environmental factors allowing them to surpass the survival of other organisms. Punta Amapala is located between the eastern coastal plain and the Gulf of Fonseca, El Salvador, characterized by the presence of rocky reefs surrounded by sand. Sponge richness, frequency and distribution of rocky reefs at Punta Amapala was recorded following the transect and quadrat methodology. The study resulted in the recording of ten taxa: Aplysina gerardogreeni, Haliclona spp., Axinella nayaritensis, Endectyon (Endectyon) hyle, Mycale (Carmia) cecilia, M. (Zygomycale) ramulosa, Tedania (Tedania) tropicalis, Cliona californiana, C. euryphylle and a sponge of the subclass Calcinea (Calcarea). It is necessary to increase the studies directed to this group in order to know with greater accuracy their richness in the reefs of El Salvador and thus to understand the ecological role they play in ecosystem.

Arenarialins A-F, Anti-inflammatory Meroterpenoids with Rearranged Skeletons from the Marine Sponge Dysidea arenaria.

Six new sesquiterpene quinone/hydroquinone meroterpenoids, arenarialins A-F (1-6), were isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea arenaria collected from the South China Sea. Their chemical structures and absolute configurations were determined by HRMS and NMR data analyses coupled with DP4+ and ECD calculations. Arenarialin A (1) features an unprecedented tetracyclic 6/6/5/6 carbon skeleton, whereas arenarialins B-D (2-4) possess two rare secomeroterpene scaffolds. Arenarialins A-F showed inhibitory activity on the production of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages with arenarialin D regulating the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway.

Norterpene Cyclic Peroxides from the Marine Sponge Diacarnus spinipoculum, Inhibitors of Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1.

Bioassay-guided isolation of the extract from the marine sponge Diacarnus spinipoculum showing inhibitory activity against human transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (hTRPA1) resulted in the isolation of 12 norditerpene cyclic peroxides (1-12) and eight norsesterterpene cyclic peroxides (13-20). Among these, 10 (5-7, 11, 12, 16-20) are unprecedented analogs. Compounds with either a hydroxy (5, 11) or a methoxy (6, 12) group attached to the cyclohexanone moiety were obtained as epimeric mixtures at C-11, while compounds 4, 6, 10, and 12 are likely the artifacts of isolation. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were established based on an NMR-based empirical method and comparison of specific rotation values. Mosher ester analysis revealed the absolute configurations of compounds 17-20. The inhibitory activity of the isolated compounds against hTRPA1 varied significantly depending on their structures, with the norsesterterpenoid 19 displaying the most potent activity (IC50 2.0 μM).

Parendozoicomonas callyspongiae sp. nov. Isolated from a Marine Sponge, Callyspongia elongate, and Reclassification of Sansalvadorimonas verongulae as Parendozoicomonas verongulae comb. nov.

A strictly aerobic Gram-negative bacterium, designated 2012CJ34-2T, was isolated from marine sponge to Chuja-do in Jeju-island, Republic of Korea and taxonomically characterized. Cells were catalase- and oxidase-positive, and non-motile rods (without flagella). Growth was observed at 15-42°C (optimum, 30°C), pH 6-9 (optimum, pH 7), and in the presence of 0.5-10% (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2-3%). The major cellular fatty acid and respiratory quinones were identified summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω7c/C16:1 ω6c), and Q-8 and Q-9, respectively. The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminophospholipid, two unidentified phospholipids, and three unidentified lipids. The DNA G+C content was 48.0mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and whole genome sequences showed that strain 2012CJ34-2T formed a clade with Parendozoicomonas haliclonae S-B4-1UT and Sansalvadorimonas verongulae LMG 29871T within the family Endozoicomodaceae. Genome relatedness values, including dDDH, ANI and AF, and AAI and POCP, among strain 2012CJ34-2T, P. haliclonae S-B4-1UT, and S. verongulae LMG 29871T were within the range of the bacterial genus cut-off values. Based on the phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic, and genomic analyses, strain 2012CJ34-2T represents a novel bacterial species of the family Endozoicomodaceae, for which the name Parendozoicomonas callyspongiae sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 2012CJ34-2T (= KACC 22641T = LMG 32581T). Additionally, we proposed the reclassification of Sansalvadorimonas verongulae of the family Hahellaceae as Parendozoicomonas verongulae of the family Endozoicomonadaceae.

Niosomes as promising approach for enhancing the cytotoxicity of Hemimycale sp. total crude extract supported with in-silico studies

The crude extract of Hemimycale sp. marine sponge was evaluated as a cytotoxic drug against different cell lines; whereas it exhibited promising selective activity toward the breast cancer cell line only with IC50 value 199.6 ± 0.00512 µg/ml. Moreover, its cytotoxic activity against the breast cancer cell line was reevaluated upon forming total extract-loaded niosomes. This revealed an IC50 value of 44.35 ± 0.011128 µg/ml, indicating the potential contribution of niosomes in boosting cell penetration and activity as a result. Owing to highlight the bioactive constituents responsible for the cytotoxic activity, metabolomics profiling of Hemimycale sp. was performed using liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-HR-ESI-MS) revealing tentative identification of phytoconstituents clusters like as, diterpenes, sesterterpenes and sterols. Additionally, the cytotoxic activity of the crude extract was explained on the molecular level, whereas the dereplicated compounds were evaluated in silico against the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor tyrosine kinase (EGFR). The sesterterpenoid derivatives phorbaketal A acetate (12) and secoepoxy ansellone A (13) together with mycalol-522 (17) showed the best binding energy.

Marine sponges as promising candidates for integrated aquaculture combining biomass increase and bioremediation: an updated review

Sponge farming has been experimentally performed for more than 100 years, with early attempts mainly devoted for the supply of bath sponges and for ornamental purposes. During the last decades, sponge farming has been proposed to produce biomass specifically for those species from which many structurally diverse bioactive compounds were isolated, frequently present in a low concentration that limits their commercial production. This point is very important because it offers an environmental-friendly approach for the use of sponges as a source of natural compounds for pharmacological, cosmeceutical, and nutraceutical industries. In addition, sponges can have an ecological role as filter-feeding animals with a great significance in marine benthic communities. Thanks to their aquiferous system, they can filter large amounts of sea water, retaining up to 80% of suspended particles, resulting in a good system to bioremediate the marine environment from different contaminants. Remarkably, few attempts at integrating aquaculture systems were performed by combining the increase in sponge biomass and their use for bioremediation, showing impressive results and opening new possibilities in the aquaculture sector. This review concerns both in situ and lab-based aquaculture methods for the production of sponge biomass and for the sponge-related bioremediation of the marine environment focusing on microorganisms and contaminants (heavy metals, pesticides, microplastics, and others). Moreover, a first overview about integrated aquaculture combining biomass increase and bioremediation, as a challenging perspective for marine biotechnologies, is included.

Neopetrotaurines A-C, Isoquinoline Alkaloids with an Unprecedented Taurine Bridge from the Sponge Neopetrosia sp.

Neopetrotaurines A-C (1-3), unusual alkaloids possessing two isoquinoline-derived moieties that are linked via a unique taurine bridge, were isolated from a Neopetrosia sp. marine sponge. These new compounds have proton-deficient structural scaffolds that are difficult to unambiguously assign using only conventional 2- and 3-bond 1H-13C and 1H-15N heteronuclear correlation data. Thus, the application of LR-HSQMBC and HMBC NMR experiments optimized to detect 4- and 5-bond long-range 1H-13C heteronuclear correlations facilitated the structure elucidation of these unusual taurine-bridged marine metabolites. Neopetrotaurines A-C (1-3) showed significant inhibition of transcription driven by the oncogenic fusion protein PAX3-FOXO1, which is associated with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, and cytotoxic activity against PAX3-FOXO1-positive cell lines.

Exploring the untapped potential of marine sponge compounds as anticancer agents against ERα of breast cancer

The oceans cover about 96.5 % of all the Earth's water and are virtually unexploited resources for novel drug discovery. Members of almost every phylum are found in the oceans, whereas twelve phyla are exclusively marine. A very limited fraction of marine compounds have been tested in clinically relevant bioassays. Higher resistance of pathogenic microorganisms to antibiotics and disease cells to antitumor medications requires a new phase of novel medicines. The study aims to explore the potential of marine sponges as natural inhibitors for breast cancer therapy using an optimized in-silico technique. We perform in-silico analysis for around two hundred and seventy-two (272) marine sponge compounds against ERα of breast cancer using molecular docking and dynamics techniques. The results of the current study were carefully used to screen the compounds with the potential to inhibit ERα of breast cancer. For instance, molecular docking analysis reveals that six top-hit selected ligands L1 (Di(IH-indol-3-yl) methanone), L2 (1,2-Bis (1H-indol-3-yl)ethane-1,2‑dione), L3 2-(4-benzylpiperidin-1-yl)1-(1H-indol-3-yl)ethenone), L4 (5H-Pyrido[4,3-b]carbazole-5,11(6H)‑dione),L5 (4H-pyrido[2,3,4-Kl]acridine-4-one), and L6 15-methyl-2, 12,15-triazapentacyclo[11.7.1.03,8,09,21.014,19]henicosa-1,3,5,7,9(21),10,12,14(19),16-nonaene-18,20‑dione) show docking scores values ranging from -9.2 kcal/mole to -9.5 kcal/mol in comparison to reference drug inhibitor -8.6 kcal/mole to -9.5 kcal/mol. For comparison purposes, reference drug candidates like tamoxifen, ospemifene, and quinestrol have been studied under the same in-silico methodology. The ligand-protein interactions displayed various types of intermolecular interactions, including hydrogen bond formationand hydrophobic and π-π stacking interactions towards the active site of the protein. Explicit molecular dynamic (MD) simulations for 120 ns were executed to mimic the in-vitro aqueous environment and stability pattern of ligand-protein complexes through RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, and intermolecular H-bond. Furthermore, MM/PBSA calculation also confirmed the good binding free energy (ΔGbind) of L1 (-22.63 kcal/mol), L2 (-13.81 kcal/mol), L3 (-19.23 kcal/mol), L4 (-24.50 kcal/mol), L5 (-14.44 kcal/mol), and L6 (-8.16 kcal/mol) towards ERα (1 gwr). Additionally, the ADMET prediction of top-hit ligands was observed to have good drug-likeness criteria (Lipinski RO5) and pharmacokinetic properties. The in-silico approach identified ligands L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, and L6 as a promising inhibitor of ERα of breast cancer, suggesting in vivo/in vitro studies to investigate their inhibitory potentials further.

Do Sustainably Reared Marine Sponges Represent A Potential New Product in Aquariology? A Citizen Science-Based Approach

Marine sponges have historically been targeted for different purposes, mainly as bath sponges or more recently as a source of bioactive metabolites. However, their use as ornamental species for aquariology is less thoroughly studied. In light of the rise in the importance of sustainable production systems and to valorize the biomass obtained from them, this work assessed the market potential of sustainably reared marine sponges in Italian aquariology. Information was obtained by means of an anonymous questionnaire distributed using social media and printed QR codes targeting Italian aquariophily groups. A total of 101 people from almost all Italian regions participated in the study. Among the people with marine aquariums, almost two-thirds had marine sponges (obtained mainly from fishing discards and trusted shops), and those without them stated that there was no availability in the specialized shops. However, when people were asked about a hypothetical change in purchase intention or frequency of these invertebrates, 68.3% of the respondents showed a positive attitude toward the idea of acquisition. This study constitutes the first preliminary assessment of the valorization potential for sustainably cultivated sponges as ornamental species, which shows a promising prospective in the Italian aquariology sector.