Sponge Axinella Research Articles

Arvoredol—An unusual chlorinated and biofilm inhibiting polyketide from a marine Penicillium sp. of the Brazilian coast

Penicillium sp. F37 has been isolated from the marine sponge Axinella corrugata and shown to be closely related to Penicillium maximae. From the culture of Penicillium sp. F37 arvoredol, a novel chlorinated polyketide with 6,7-dihydro-4(5H)-benzofuranone moiety has been isolated and characterized by spectroscopic methods Arvoredol prevented biofilm formation of the human pathogen Staphylococcus epidermidis at a concentration of 125μgmL−1 by 40%. It was also active against colorectal carcinoma HCT116 cells with a MIC of 7.9μgmL−1.

Collagen from the Marine Sponges Axinella cannabina and Suberites carnosus: Isolation and Morphological, Biochemical, and Biophysical Characterization.

In search of alternative and safer sources of collagen for biomedical applications, the marine demosponges Axinella cannabina and Suberites carnosus, collected from the Aegean and the Ionian Seas, respectively, were comparatively studied for their insoluble collagen, intercellular collagen, and spongin-like collagen content. The isolated collagenous materials were morphologically, physicochemically, and biophysically characterized. Using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy the fibrous morphology of the isolated collagens was confirmed, whereas the amino acid analysis, in conjunction with infrared spectroscopy studies, verified the characteristic for the collagen amino acid profile and its secondary structure. Furthermore, the isoelectric point and thermal behavior were determined by titration and differential scanning calorimetry, in combination with circular dichroism spectroscopic studies, respectively.

Axinellin A and B: Two New Pyrrolactam Alkaloids from Axinella sp.

Two new pyrrolactam alkaloids, axinelline A (1) and B (2), were isolated from the n-BuOH extract of marine sponge Axinella sp. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods (HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR).

Identifying a potential receptor for the antibacterial peptide of sponge Axinella donnani endosymbiont

Marine sponges and their associated bacteria are rich sources of novel secondary metabolites with therapeutic usefulness. In our earlier work, we have identified a novel antibacterial peptide from the marine sponge Axinella donnani endosymbiotic bacteria. In this work, we have carried out a comparative genomic analysis and identified a set of 60 proteins as probable receptor which is common in all the strains. The analysis on binding substrate showed that β barrel assembly machinery (BamA) of the outer membrane protein 85 (omp85) superfamily is a potential receptor protein for the antibacterial peptide. It plays a central role in OMP biogenesis, especially in cell viability. Further, the triplet and quartet motifs RGF and YGDG, respectively in L6 loop are conserved over all the strains and these conserved residues interact with antibacterial peptide to inhibit the BamA function, which is essential for OMP biogenesis.

Hexabromobenzens 농후 배양에 따른 해면(Axinella sp.) 공생 미생물의 군집구조 변화

할로겐화 또는 탈할로겐화에 관여하는 미생물을 특정하고자 해양의 주된 할로겐화합물 생산자인 해면 공생미생물의 군집구조에 미치는 HBB (hexabromobenzene)의 영향을 밝히고자 했다. 혐기 marine broth 2216에서 100ppm HBB첨가 유무에 관계없이 검출된 균주들은 산호나 해면에서 유래한 클론들과 높은 유사도를 보였으며 그 중 Deltaproteobacteria에 속하는 Desulfovibrio marinisediminis와 99% 유사도를 보이는 클론이 우점하는 것으로 나타났다. Clostridia계통의 Fusibacter paucivorans와 유사도가 높은 클론과 Lentisphaerae에 속하는 균주들은 HBB에 의해 감소하는 반면 Clostridia계통의 Vallitalea guaymasensis와 유사도가 높은 균주들은 HBB가 있는 경우에만 검출되었다. 알려진 균주들과의 비교 결과로 볼 때 D. marinisediminis 및 V. guaymasensis 계통의 균주들이 할로겐화 및 탈할로겐화에 관여하는 것으로 추정된다. Bacteria associated with marine sponges seemed to be concerned in halogenation/dehalogenation process of natural compounds. In the present study, the effect of hexabromobenzene (HBB) on the community structure of bacteria associated with a marine sponge Axinella sp. from Chuuk State under anaerobic condition was investigated. Regardless of 100 ppm HBB, most of detected microorganisms displayed high similarity with clones reported from coral or sponges. Amongst, Desulfovibrio marinisediminis like clones were dominant. Clones affiliated with Lentisphaerae and Fusibacter paucivorans (Clostridia) were detected at the conditions without HBB but clones affiliated with Vallitalea guaymasensis (Clostridia) increased its proportion with HBB. From these results and previous reports clones affiliated with D. marinisediminis and V. guaymasensis seemed to be concerned in halogenation/dehalogenation process.

N-Formyl-7-amino-11-cycloamphilectene, a marine sponge metabolite, binds to tubulin and modulates microtubule depolymerization

The importance of protein-small molecule interaction in drug discovery, medicinal chemistry and biology has driven the development of new analytical methods to disclose the whole interactome of bioactive compounds. To accelerate targets discovery of N-formyl-7-amino-11-cycloamphilectene (CALe), a marine bioactive diterpene isolated from the Vanuatu sponge Axinella sp., a chemoproteomic-based approach has been successfully developed. CALe is a potent anti-inflammatory agent, modulating NO and prostaglandin E2 overproduction by dual inhibition of the enhanced inducible NO synthase expression and cyclo-oxygenase-2 activity, without any evidence of cytotoxic effects. In this paper, several isoforms of tubulin have been identified as CALe off-targets by chemical proteomics combined with bio-physical orthogonal approaches. In the following biological analysis of its cellular effect, CALe was found to protect microtubules against the colcemid depolymerizing effect.

Antifouling activities of hymenialdisine and debromohymenialdisine from the sponge Axinella sp.

Being physically unprotected sessile organisms, marine sponges are thought to protect themselves from surface fouling through the use of antifouling secondary metabolites. In this study, the sponge Axinella sp. was extracted with methanol and then partitioned between organic solvents and water. Two main compounds, hymenialdisine (HD) and debromohymenialdisine (DBH), were isolated from the n-BuOH layer using Sephadex LH-20 and C-18 column chromatography. The antifouling activity of HD and DBH were evaluated using the test of byssus thread production with the green mussel Perna viridis, and the settlement assays with the bryozoan Bugula neritina larvae and the green alga Ulva prolifera spores. Both HD and DBH were found to exhibit significant antifouling activities against P. viridis (EC50 values of 31.77 and 138.18 μg ml−1, respectively), B. neritina (EC50 values of 3.43 and 8.17 μg ml−1, respectively) and U. prolifera (EC50 values of 8.31 and 0.67 μg ml−1, respectively). Our results suggested that HD and DBH may play a role in chemical defense against fouling in Axinella sp.

Marking spherulous cell in marine sponge Axinella sp. using a 3,3′- diaminobenzidine (DAB) staining method

Debromohymenialdisine(DBH) and hymenialdisine(HD) are two bioactive alkaloids which has been isolated from marine sponge Axinella sp.living in the South China Sea,and these two alkaloids are located particularly in spherulous cells in Axinella sp..Establishment of a specific marker for this type of cells by cytochemical staining can provide an indication method for cell differentiation,and can be applied in the metabolism regulation in in vitro cell culture.The 3,3′-diaminobenzidine(DAB) staining is commonly used to detect peroxidase activity.In this study,sponge cells were fractionated and stained by DAB.A distinguishing feature of dark brown granules in cytoplasm was observed in spherulous cells.Native-PAGE was carried out with protein extracts from fresh tissue and different cell fractions of marine sponge to examine the peroxidase responsible for DAB staining.By transmission electron microscope(TEM),two kinds of inclusions were found inside the spherulous cells,the larger ones of which showed consistency in dimen-sion and amount with the positive stained granules under light microscopy.In addition,this staining method for spheru-lous cell identification was also applied in in vitro cell culture(primmorph culture).The proportion of both granularly positive-stained cells and the spherulous cells synchronously varied during a 20-day culture period,and the ratio of positive-stained spherulous cells was kept above 93%.The above results suggested that the cytochemical method of DAB staining was reliable and could be applied in both fresh-tissue dissociation and in vitro cell culture,with the dis-tinctive characteristic of positive stained granules in cytoplasm marking spherulous cells in sponge Axinella sp..

Further Investigation of the Mediterranean Sponge Axinella polypoides: Isolation of a New Cyclonucleoside and a New Betaine

An exhaustive exploration into the metabolic content of the Mediterranean sponge Axinella-polypoides resulted in the isolation of the new betaine 5 and the new cyclonucleoside 8. The structures of the new metabolites were elucidated by spectroscopic methods assisted by computational methods. The analysis also provided evidence that the sponge does not elaborate pyrrole-imidazole alkaloids (PIAs) but, interestingly, it was shown to contain two already known cyclodipeptides, compounds 9 (verpacamide A) and 10.

A new taurine derivative from South China Sea marine sponge Axinella sp.

A new (1) and two known (2 and 3) acylated taurine derivatives were isolated from the South China Sea marine sponge Axinella sp. The structures of the compounds were determined on the basis of spectral analysis. Compounds 1–3 did not inhibit the growth of hepatoma carcinoma cell (HepG2), lung carcinoma cell (A549), human breast carcinoma (MCF-7), no-small cell lung cancer (NCI-H460) and human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines.

Fulvitalea axinellae gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Flammeovirgaceae isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa

The yellow-pigmented, non-motile, Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, rod-shaped bacterial strain VI.18(T) was isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa collected off the coast near Sdot Yam, Israel. Results from 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to the family Flammeovirgaceae. The highest nucleotide similarity (91.4 %) occurred with Aureibacter tunicatorum A5Q-118(T). The predominant cellular fatty acids of strain VI.18(T) were iso-C15 : 0 (56.0 %), iso-C17 : 1ω9c (22.8 %) and C16 : 0 (7.4 %) and its major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The DNA G+C content was 47.5 mol%. The strain could readily be distinguished from its phylogenetically closest relatives by phenotypic, physiological and chemotaxonomic properties. On the basis of the data from the present polyphasic study, we propose a novel genus and species within the family Flammeovirgaceae, with the name Fulvitalea axinellae gen. nov., sp. nov. Strain VI.18(T) ( = ATCC BAA-2395(T) = LMG 26722(T)) is the type strain of Fulvitalea axinellae.

Donnazoles A and B from Axinella donnani sponge: very close derivatives from the postulated intermediate ‘pre-axinellamine’

Two novel dimeric pyrrole-aminoimidazole (PAI) alkaloids (−) donnazoles A–B (1–2) were isolated from the marine sponge Axinella donnani collected off the Mauritius Island. Their structures were elucidated mainly by 2D NMR. Both compounds bear the crucial substituted cyclopentane of ‘pre-axinellamine’, the hypothetical common intermediate of all dimeric PAIs. Additionally, the essential trans-6,7 ring junction of palau′amine’s congeners is already established in 1 and 2. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were deduced via NOE correlations in combination with the comparison of their circular dichroism data with the one of (−) sceptrin. The absolute configuration of (−) donnazoles A (1) and B (2) is coherent with the absolute configuration of the known dimeric members of PAI alkaloids.

Molecular cloning, structure, and reactivity of the second bromoperoxidase from Ascophyllum nodosum

The sequence of bromoperoxidase II from the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum was determined from a full length cloned cDNA, obtained from a tandem mass spectrometry RT-PCR-approach. The clone encodes a protein composed of 641 amino-acids, which provides a mature 67.4kDa-bromoperoxidase II-protein (620 amino-acids). Based on 43% sequence homology with the previously characterized bromoperoxidase I from A. nodosum, a tertiary structure was modeled for the bromoperoxidase II. The structural model was refined on the basis of results from gel filtration and vanadate-binding studies, showing that the bromoperoxidase II is a hexameric metalloprotein, which binds 0.5 equivalents of vanadate as cofactor per 67.4kDa-subunit, for catalyzing oxidation of bromide by hydrogen peroxide in a bi-bi-ping-pong mechanism (kcat=153s−1, 22°C, pH 5.9). Bromide thereby is converted into a bromoelectrophile of reactivity similar to molecular bromine, based on competition kinetic data on phenol bromination and correlation analysis. Reactivity provided by the bromoperoxidase II mimics biosynthesis of methyl 4-bromopyrrole-2-carboxylate, a natural product isolated from the marine sponge Axinella tenuidigitata.

Aureivirga marina gen. nov., sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa

Two bacterial strains, VI.14 and VIII.04(T), were isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa collected off the Israeli coast near Sdot Yam. The non-motile, aerobic, Gram-negative isolates were oxidase-negative and catalase-positive, and formed golden-brown colonies on marine agar 2216. The pigment was neither diffusible nor flexirubin-like. Strain VIII.04(T) grew at 15-37 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0, in the presence of 20-50 g NaCl l(-1) and 20-80 g sea salts l(-1), The spectrum was narrower for strain VI.14, with growth at pH 7.0-8.0. and in the presence of 30-50 g NaCl l(-1) and 30-70 g sea salts l(-1). The predominant fatty acid (>50 %) in both strains was iso-C15 : 0, and the major respiratory quinone was MK-6. The DNA G+C content was 30.7 and 31.1 mol% for VIII.04(T) and VI.14, respectively. Results from 16S rRNA sequence similarity and phylogenetic analyses indicated that both strains are closely related to members of the family Flavobacteriaceae within the phylum Bacteroidetes, with as much as 91.7 % 16S rRNA sequence similarity. On the basis of data from the polyphasic analysis, we suggest that the strains represent a novel species in a new genus within the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Aureivirga marina gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. Strain VIII.04(T) ( = ATCC BAA-2394(T) = LMG 26721(T)) is the type strain of Aureivirga marina.

Pyrosequencing of Bacterial Symbionts within Axinella corrugata Sponges: Diversity and Seasonal Variability

BackgroundMarine sponge species are of significant interest to many scientific fields including marine ecology, conservation biology, genetics, host-microbe symbiosis and pharmacology. One of the most intriguing aspects of the sponge “holobiont” system is the unique physiology, interaction with microbes from the marine environment and the development of a complex commensal microbial community. However, intraspecific variability and temporal stability of sponge-associated bacterial symbionts remain relatively unknown.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe have characterized the bacterial symbiont community biodiversity of seven different individuals of the Caribbean reef sponge Axinella corrugata, from two different Florida reef locations during variable seasons using multiplex 454 pyrosequencing of 16 S rRNA amplicons. Over 265,512 high-quality 16 S rRNA sequences were generated and analyzed. Utilizing versatile bioinformatics methods and analytical software such as the QIIME and CloVR packages, we have identified 9,444 distinct bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Approximately 65,550 rRNA sequences (24%) could not be matched to bacteria at the class level, and may therefore represent novel taxa. Differentially abundant classes between seasonal Axinella communities included Gammaproteobacteria, Flavobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Acidobacter and Nitrospira. Comparisons with a proximal outgroup sponge species (Amphimedon compressa), and the growing sponge symbiont literature, indicate that this study has identified approximately 330 A. corrugata-specific symbiotic OTUs, many of which are related to the sulfur-oxidizing Ectothiorhodospiraceae. This family appeared exclusively within A. corrugata, comprising >34.5% of all sequenced amplicons. Other A. corrugata symbionts such as Deltaproteobacteria, Bdellovibrio, and Thiocystis among many others are described.Conclusions/SignificanceSlight shifts in several bacterial taxa were observed between communities sampled during spring and fall seasons. New 16 S rDNA sequences and concomitant identifications greatly expand the microbial community profile for this model reef sponge, and will likely be useful as a baseline for any future comparisons regarding sponge microbial community dynamics.

In silico biological activity of steroids from the marine sponge Axinella carteri

The steroidal composition of the marine sponge Axinella carteri, collected from Lakshadweep archipelago in the Arabian Sea was found to be a prolific source for a variety of rare steroids. The GC–MS study afforded us with the occurrence of 8 steroids belonging to four different types of nucleus, including the unique occurrence of an unconventional steroid A-norcholestan-2-one in Axinella carteri. The biological activity was predicted using the soft ware PASS. It was found that majority of the steroids extracted from Axinella carteri exhibited the potential of being agonistic to nerve growth factor (NGF).

Luteivirga sdotyamensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a novel bacterium of the phylum Bacteroidetes isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella polypoides

A novel aerobic bacterium, designated strain PIII.02(T), was isolated from a Mediterranean sponge (Axinella polypoides) collected off the Israeli coast near Sdot Yam. The non-motile cells were Gram-staining-negative, oxidase-positive and catalase-positive. The orange pigment of colonies growing on marine agar was neither diffusible nor flexirubin-like. Strain PIII.02(T) grew at 15-35 °C, at pH 6.0-9.0, with 2.0-7.0 % (w/v) NaCl, and with 1.0-8.0 % (w/v) sea salts. The predominant fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C16 : 1 H, iso-C16 : 0, C16 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and C16 : 1ω7c. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The genomic DNA G+C content of the novel strain was 38.1 mol%. Results from 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strain PIII.02(T) was distantly related to established members of the phylum Bacteroidetes. The established species found to be most closely related to the novel strain was Persicobacter diffluens NCIMB 1402(T) (87.6 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Based on the phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data and the results of the phylogenetic analyses, strain PIII.02(T) represents a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Luteivirga sdotyamensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is PIII.02(T) ( = ATCC BAA-2393(T) = LMG 26723(T)).

Diversity and Biosynthetic Potential of Culturable Actinomycetes Associated with Marine Sponges in the China Seas

The diversity and secondary metabolite potential of culturable actinomycetes associated with eight different marine sponges collected from the South China Sea and the Yellow sea were investigated. A total of 327 strains were isolated and 108 representative isolates were selected for phylogenetic analysis. Ten families and 13 genera of Actinomycetales were detected, among which five genera represent first records isolated from marine sponges. Oligotrophic medium M5 (water agar) proved to be efficient for selective isolation, and “Micromonospora–Streptomyces” was proposed as the major distribution group of sponge-associated actinomycetes from the China Seas. Ten isolates are likely to represent novel species. Sponge Hymeniacidon perleve was found to contain the highest genus diversity (seven genera) of actinomycetes. Housekeeping gene phylogenetic analyses of the isolates indicated one ubiquitous Micromonospora species, one unique Streptomyces species and one unique Verrucosispora phylogroup. Of the isolates, 27.5% displayed antimicrobial activity, and 91% contained polyketide synthase and/or nonribosomal peptide synthetase genes, indicating that these isolates had a high potential to produce secondary metabolites. The isolates from sponge Axinella sp. contained the highest presence of both antimicrobial activity and NRPS genes, while those from isolation medium DNBA showed the highest presence of antimicrobial activity and PKS I genes.

Biosynthesis in marine sponges: the radiolabelling strikes back

Biochemical pathways involved in the production of marine sponge secondary metabolites remain mostly unknown. The physicochemical characteristics of the marine environment and the complex structures encountered in marine sponges can explain the lack of results obtained in the biosynthetic studies on marine organisms. Despite significant structural differences, the question of the similarity between the terrestrial and marine biosynthetic pathways remains. To increase our level of knowledge on the sponge metabolic pathways, we developed an experimental protocol using a relatively simple model. Pyrrole imidazole alkaloids represent a very large and interesting family of sponge alkaloids found in many sponge species worldwide. Using oroidin as our target metabolite and the common Mediterranean sponge Axinella damicornis, we measured the incorporation of radiolabelled amino acids into secondary metabolites by “feeding” experiment. This in vivo protocol based on a highly sensitive radioactive detection allowed the identification of the origin of an entire sponge natural product skeleton for the first time.

Biological activities of ACL-I and physicochemical properties of ACL-II, lectins isolated from the marine sponge Axinella corrugata

Lectin II from the marine sponge Axinella corrugata (ACL-II) was purified by affinity chromatography on rabbit erythrocytic stroma incorporated into a polyacrylamide gel, followed by gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA 44 column. Purified ACL-II is a lectin with an Mr of 80 kDa and 78 kDa, estimated by SDS-PAGE and by FPLC on Superose 12 HR column, respectively. ACL-II mainly agglutinates native rabbit erythrocytes and this hemagglutinating activity is independent of Ca(2+), Mg(2+) and Mn(2+), but is inhibited by d-galactose, chitin and N-acetyl derivatives, with the exception of GalNAc. ACL-II is stable for up to 65 °C for 30 min, with a better stability at a pH range of 2 to 6. In contrast, ACL-I displays a strong mitogenic and cytotoxic effect.