Search results for "Porifera"

Enzyme-accelerated and structure-guided crystallization of calcium carbonate: Role of the carbonic anhydrase in the homologous system

2014

Abstract The calcareous spicules from sponges, e.g. from Sycon raphanus, are composed of almost pure calcium carbonate. In order to elucidate the formation of those structural skeletal elements, the function of the enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA), isolated from this species, during the in vitro calcium carbonate-based spicule formation, was investigated. It is shown that the recombinant sponge CA substantially accelerates calcium carbonate formation in the in vitro diffusion assay. A stoichiometric calculation revealed that the turnover rate of the sponge CA during the calcification process amounts to 25 CO2 s−1 × molecule CA−1. During this enzymatically driven process, initially pat-like pa…

Molecular evolution: Evidence for the monophyletic origin of multicellular animals

1995

Aging in Sponges

2003

The sponges (phylum Porifera) are the lowest and phylogenetically oldest, still extant phylum of Metazoa [1, 2]. These animals are considered as the evolutionary earliest living relicts of the successful transition from the (perhaps) unicellular to the multicellular state [2]. Evidence has been presented by molecular phylogenetic analysis that sponges share a common ancestor with the other metazoan phyla, the hypothetical Urmetazoa [2, 3].

Cycloamphilectenes, a new type of potent marine diterpenes: inhibition of nitric oxide production in murine macrophages.

2003

The inhibitory effect of a series of 6 cycloamphilectenes, novel marine diterpenes based on amphilectene skeletons and isolated from the Vanuatu sponge Axinella sp., on NO, PGE(2) and TNFalpha production in murine peritoneal macrophages was studied. These compounds reduced potently nitric oxide production in a concentration-dependent manner with IC(50) values in the submicromolar range (0.1-4.3 microM). Studies on intact cells and Western blot analysis showed that the more potent cycloamphilectenes reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase without affecting cyclo-oxygenase-2 expression. Among them cycloamphilectene 2, the unique compound bearing an exocyclic methylene group,…

Heat shock protein Hsp70 expression and DNA damage in Baikalian sponges exposed to model pollutants and wastewater from Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Plant

2002

Abstract Lake Baikal, a unique habitat for a great number of endemic species, is the largest freshwater reservoir in the world which is still largely unaffected by anthropogenic pollution, except for some shore regions with industrial activity. The expressions of a biomarker of exposure (heat shock protein Hsp70) and a biomarker of effect (DNA single-strand breaks) were measured for the first time in endemic Baikalian sponge species (Baikalospongia intermedia, Lubomirskia fusifera, and Lubomirskia abietina). Tissue cubes of B. intermedia and dissociated cells of L. fusifera and L. abietina reacted to temperature stress (10–16 °C above ambient temperature) with a time-dependent increase in e…

Cytotoxic and protein kinase inhibiting nakijiquinones and nakijiquinols from the sponge Dactylospongia metachromia.

2014

Chemical investigation of the sponge Dactylospongia metachromia afforded five new sesquiterpene aminoquinones (1-5), two new sesquiterpene benzoxazoles (6 and 7), the known analogue 18-hydroxy-5-epi-hyrtiophenol (8), and a known glycerolipid. The structures of all compounds were unambiguously elucidated by one- and two-dimensional NMR and by MS analyses, as well as by comparison with the literature. Compounds 1-5 showed potent cytotoxicity against the mouse lymphoma cell line L5178Y with IC50 values ranging from 1.1 to 3.7 μM. When tested in vitro for their inhibitory potential against 16 different protein kinases, compounds 5, 6, and 8 exhibited the strongest inhibitory activity against AL…

Aaptamine Derivatives from the Indonesian Sponge Aaptos suberitoides

2013

Four new aaptamine derivatives (1-4) along with aaptamine (5) and three related compounds (6-8) were isolated from the ethanol extract of the sponge Aaptos suberitoides collected in Indonesia. The structures of the new compounds were unambiguously determined by one- and two-dimensional NMR and by HRESIMS measurements. Compounds 3, 5, and 6 showed cytotoxic activity against the murine lymphoma L5178Y cell line, with IC(50) values ranging from 0.9 to 8.3 μM.

Two different aggregation principles in reaggregation process of dissociated sponge cells (Geodia cydonium)

1974

Chemisch dissoziierte Zellen des KieselschwammesGeodia cydonium reaggregieren aufgrund zweier verschiedenr Reaggregationsprinzipien. Der Aggnegationsfaktor, auf den die Primaraggregation zuruckgeht, ist membrangebunden und wird durch Proteasen nicht inaktiviert. Der sekundare Aggregationsfaktor wurde 500fach angereichert. Das Molekulargewicht dieses Aggregationsfaktors betragt etwa 20000 Daltons; er ist mit einem ringformigen Makromolekul (2×109 Daltons) assoziiert.

Sustainable production of bioactive compounds from sponges: primmorphs as bioreactors

2003

Sponges [phylum Porifera] are a rich source for the isolation of biologically active and pharmacologically valuable compounds with a high potential to become effective drugs for therapeutic use. However, until now, only one compound has been introduced into clinics because of the limited amounts of starting material available for extraction. To overcome this serious problem in line with the rules for a sustainable use of marine resources, the following routes can be pursued; first, chemical synthesis, second, cultivation of sponges in the sea (mariculture), third, growth of sponge specimens in a bioreactor, and fourth, cultivation of sponge cells in vitro in a bioreactor.

Molecular phylogeny of Metazoa (animals): monophyletic origin.

1995

The phylogenetic relationships within the kingdom Animalia (Metazoa) have long been questioned. Focusing on the lowest eukaryotic multicellular organisms, the metazoan phylum Porifera (sponges), it remained unsolved if they evolved multicellularity independently from a separate protist lineage (polyphyly of animals) of derived from the same protist group as the other animal phyla (monophyly). After having analyzed genes typical for multicellularity (adhesion molecules/receptors and a nuclear receptor), we present evidence that Porifera should be placed in the kingdom Animalia. We therefore suggest a monophyletic origin for all animals.