Biemnasterol, a new cytotoxic sterol with the rare 22,25-diene side chain, isolated from the marine sponge Biemna sp

Halipanasterol, a New Sterol Isolated From the Marine Sponge Halichondria panicea

A new sterol (1) and 8 known (2-9) compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of the Vietnamese marine sponge Halichondria panicea (Pallas, 1766) by various chromatographic methods. Their chemical structures were determined as 5 α,6 α-epoxy-(22 E)-ergosta-3 β,7 α-diol-8,22,25-triene (1), (22 E)-ergosta-7,22,25-triene-3 β,5 α,6 β-triol (2), 3 β-hydroxycholest-5ene-7-one (3), cholesterol sulfate (4), 3-formamidotheonellin (5), para-hydroxybenzylideneacetone (6), indole-3-carbaldehyde (7), thymidine (8), and adenosine (9) by using a combination of HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectral data, as well as by comparison with the previous literature. This is the first report of these compounds from H panicea. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited cytotoxic effects on Hep-G2, SK-Mel-2, LU-1, and MCF-7 cell lines with IC50 values of 9.27 ± 1.25, 11.34 ± 1.18, 15.45 ± 1.47, and 10.85 ± 1.19 µM (for 1), and 6.45 ± 0.77, 9.74 ± 1.03, 7.08 ± 0.64, 5.61 ± 0.39 µM (for 2), compared to the positive control compound, ellipticine, 1.60 ± 0.37, 2.53 ± 0.51, 1.82 ± 0.20, and 2.17 ± 0.66 µM, respectively.

New sterols from the South China Sea sponges Halichondria sp

A detailed chemical investigation of two specimen of South China Sea sponges Halichondria sp. (No. 19-XD-47 and No. 17-XD-87) have resulted in the isolation of three new sterols, namely, halichsterols A (1), B (2) and C (3), together with seven related known ones (4-10). Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with the spectral data reported in the literature. In bioassay, compound 2 displayed significantly anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells.

Sponges from Zanzibar host diverse prokaryotic communities with potential for natural product synthesis

Sponges are one of the most dominant organisms in marine ecosystems. One reason for their success is their association with microorganisms that are besides the host itself responsible for the chemical defence. Sponge abundances have been increasing on coral reefs in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) and are predicted to increase further with rising anthropogenic impacts on coral reefs. However, there is a paucity of information on chemical ecology of sponges from the WIO and their prokaryotic community composition. We used a combination of Illumina sequencing and a predictive metagenomic analysis to (i) assess the prokaryotic community composition of sponges from Zanzibar, (ii) predict the presence of KEGG metabolic pathways responsible for bioactive compound production and (iii) relate their presence to the degree of observed chemical defence in their respective sponge host. We found that sponges from Zanzibar host diverse prokaryotic communities that are host species-specific. Sponge-species and respective specimens that showed strong chemical defences in previous studies were also predicted to be highly enriched in various pathways responsible for secondary metabolite production. Hence, the combined sequencing and predictive metagenomic approach proved to be a useful indicator for the metabolic potential of sponge holobionts.

Sponge chemical defenses are a possible mechanism for increasing sponge abundance on reefs in Zanzibar

Coral reefs are experiencing increasing anthropogenic impacts that result in substantial declines of reef-building corals and a change of community structure towards other benthic invertebrates or macroalgae. Reefs around Zanzibar are exposed to untreated sewage and runoff from the main city Stonetown. At many of these sites, sponge cover has increased over the last years. Sponges are one of the top spatial competitors on reefs worldwide. Their success is, in part, dependent on their strong chemical defenses against predators, microbial attacks and other sessile benthic competitors. This is the first study that investigates the bioactive properties of sponge species in the Western Indian Ocean region. Crude extracts of the ten most dominant sponge species were assessed for their chemical defenses against 35 bacterial strains (nine known as marine pathogens) using disc diffusion assays and general cytotoxic activities were assessed with brine shrimp lethality assays. The three chemically most active sponge species were additionally tested for their allelopathic properties against the scleractinian coral competitor Porites sp.. The antimicrobial assays revealed that all tested sponge extracts had strong antimicrobial properties and that the majority (80%) of the tested sponges were equally defended against pathogenic and environmental bacterial strains. Additionally, seven out of ten sponge species exhibited cytotoxic activities in the brine shrimp assay. Moreover, we could also show that the three most bioactive sponge species were able to decrease the photosynthetic performance of the coral symbionts and thus were likely to impair the coral physiology.

Chemistry and Biological Activities of the Marine Sponges of the Genera Mycale (Arenochalina), Biemna and Clathria

Over the past seven decades, particularly since the discovery of the first marine-derived nucleosides, spongothymidine and spongouridine, from the Caribbean sponge Cryptotethya crypta in the early 1950s, marine natural products have emerged as unique, renewable and yet under-investigated pools for discovery of new drug leads with distinct structural features, and myriad interesting biological activities. Marine sponges are the most primitive and simplest multicellular animals, with approximately 8900 known described species, although more than 15,000 species are thought to exist worldwide today. These marine organisms potentially represent the richest pipeline for novel drug leads. Mycale (Arenochalina) and Clathria are recognized marine sponge genera belonging to the order Poecilosclerida, whereas Biemna was more recently reclassified, based on molecular genetics, as a new order Biemnida. Together, these sponge genera contribute to the production of physiologically active molecular entities with diverse structural features and a wide range of medicinal and therapeutic potentialities. In this review, we provide a comprehensive insight and up-to-date literature survey over the period of 1976⁻2018, focusing on the chemistry of the isolated compounds from members of these three genera, as well as their biological and pharmacological activities, whenever available.

A new bioactive steroidal ketone from the South China Sea sponge Xestospongia testudinaria

A new steroidal ketone (1), with an ergosta-22,25-diene side chain, was obtained from the South China Sea marine sponge Xestospongia testudinaria. The structure of 1 was determined on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with literature. Compound 1 exhibited significant inhibitory activity against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a key target for the treatment of type II diabetes and obesity, with an IC50 value of 4.27 ± 0.55 μM, which is comparable with the positive control oleanolic acid (IC50 = 2.63 ± 0.22 μM).

Steroids and alkaloids from the South China Sea sponge Axinella sp

A new steroid 24beta-methylcholasta-1,8,14,22,25-penten-3-one-5alpha-ol (1) and a new alkaloid 1-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2,3-dihydroxy-5-methyl-hexane (2), together with four known compounds, were isolated from the EtOH extract of the South China Sea sponge Axinella sp. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR spectral data.

Fortisterol, a novel steroid with an unusual seven-membered lactone ring B from the Chinese marine sponge Biemna fortis Topsent

Fortisterol (1), a novel steroid with a rare seven-membered lactone ring B, has been isolated from the marine sponge Biemna fortis and its structure gas been elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.

8-Oxoadenine, 9-Methyl-8-Oxoadenine, and Trihydroxylated Sterols from a Far Eastern Thorectidae Sponge

8-Oxoadenine (1) was found as a main secondary metabolite of a far-eastern Thorectidae sponge. In addition, a related minor compound, 9-methyl-8-oxoadenine (2), was isolated for the first time as a natural product, along with the previously known 3-methyladenine (3). Two known trihydroxylated sterols of the Δ7 series (4, 5) were also identified. Structural identification of 1–5 was carried out by analysis of spectroscopic data.