Search results for "Sponge"

Nuclear DNA fractions with grossly different base ratios in the genome of the marine sponge Geodia cydonium

2008

The DNA of the marine sponge Geodia cydonium (G.c.), a member of the phylogenetically old phylum Porifera, was characterized by density gradient centrifugation and by determining its genetic complexity by reassociation kinetics. At least five subcomponents were identified by curve-fit analyses of analytical density gradient centrifugation profiles of total G.c.-DNA. Four of these subcomponents were isolated from total G.c.-DNA by preparative density gradient centrifugation. The GC-contents of the subcomponents were determined to be 36.4%, 44.0%, 58.7%, and 66.1%, respectively. To our knowledge, such an extreme heterogeneity of DNA composition has never before been observed for any organism.…

Synthesis, Characterization, and Study, of New Nanostructured Materials

Marine Animal-Derived Compounds and Autophagy Modulation in Breast Cancer Cells

2021

It is known that in breast cancer biology, autophagy mainly plays a cytoprotective and anti-apoptotic role in vitro, being conceivably responsible for cell resistance to drug exposure and a higher metastatic attitude in vivo. Thus, the development of novel autophagy-targeting agents represents a valuable strategy to improve the efficacy of anticancer interventions. It is widely acknowledged that the enormous biodiversity of marine organisms represents a highly promising reserve for the isolation of bioactive primary and secondary metabolites targeting one or several specific molecular pathways and displaying active pharmacological properties against a variety of diseases. The aim of this re…

Siliceous spicules in marine demosponges (example Suberites domuncula)

2005

All metazoan animals comprise a body plan of different complexity. Since-especially based on molecular and cell biological data-it is well established that all metazoan phyla, including the Porifera (sponges), evolved from a common ancestor the search for common, basic principles of pattern formation (body plan) in all phyla began. Common to all metazoan body plans is the formation of at least one axis that runs from the apical to the basal region; examples for this type of organization are the Porifera and the Cnidaria (diploblastic animals). It seems conceivable that the basis for the formation of the Bauplan in sponges is the construction of their skeleton by spicules. In Demospongiae (w…

Coscinolactams A and B: new nitrogen-containing sesterterpenoids from the marine sponge Coscinoderma mathewsi exerting anti-inflammatory properties

2009

Abstract Investigation of the marine sponge Coscinoderma mathewsi led to the isolation of two novel nitrogen-containing cheilanthane sesterterpenoids, coscinolactams A and B, together with known suvanine. The structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic measurements including NOE experiments to deduce the stereochemistry. The natural compounds, as well as a semisynthetic derivative, showed moderate anti-inflammatory activity measured as their capability to inhibit PGE2 and NO production. The suvanine aldehyde derivative 4 inhibited inducible nitric oxide protein expression with an IC50 value of 7.3 μM.

The multixenobiotic resistance mechanism in the marine sponge Suberites domuncula: its potential applicability for the evaluation of environmental po…

1996

Experiments were carried out with the marine sponge Suberites domuncala to determine whether sponges may express - like mammalian tumor cells a multidrug-like transporter system. The results demonstrate that sponge cells possess such a protective system termed multixenobiotic resistance (MXR) pump or P-glycoprotein-like pump, The protein was identified by antisera for the mammalian P170 multidrug resistance protein as a 130 kDa molecule, Binding studies were performed with H-3-vincristine (H-3-VCR) and membrane vesicles ; this process is ATP-dependent and inhibited by verapamil, which is known to reverse the multidrug-resistance phenotype in mammalian systems, Accumulation experiments were …

Self-healing, an intrinsic property of biomineralization processes

2013

The sponge siliceous spicules are formed enzymatically via silicatein, in contrast to other siliceous biominerals. Originally, silicatein had been described as a major structural protein of the spicules that has the property to allow a specific deposition of silica onto their surface. More recently, it had been unequivocally demonstrated that silicatein displays a genuine enzyme activity, initiating and maintaining silica biopolycondensation at low precursor concentrations (<2 mM). Even more, as silicatein becomes embedded into the biosilica polymer, formed by the enzyme, it retains its functionality to enable a controlled biosilica deposition. The protection of silicatein through the biosi…

Polarity factor 'Frizzled' in the demosponge Suberites domuncula: identification, expression and localization of the receptor in the epithelium/pinac…

2003

Until recently, it was assumed that polarity and axis formation have evolved only in metazoan phyla higher than Cnidaria. One key molecule involved in the signal transduction causing tissue polarity is Frizzled, a seven-transmembrane receptor that is activated by the Wnt family of secreted proteins. We report the isolation and characterization of a Frizzled gene from the demosponge Suberites domuncula (Sd-Fz). The deduced polypeptide comprises all characteristic domains known from Frizzled receptors of higher metazoans. In situ hybridization studies show that Sd-Fz is expressed in cells close to the surface of the sponges and in the pinacocytes of some canals. Northern blot analysis demonst…

Regional and modular expression of morphogenetic factors in the demosponge Lubomirskia baicalensis

2008

Some sponges [phylum Porifera], e.g. the demosponges Lubomirskia baicalensis or Axinella polypoides, show an arborescent growth form. In the freshwater sponge L. baicalensis this morphotype is seen mostly in depths below 4 m while in more shallow regions it grows as a crust. The different growth forms are determined in nature very likely by water current and/or light. The branches of this species are composed of modules, arranged along the apical-basal axis. The modules are delimited by a precise architecture of the spicule bundles; longitudinal bundles originate from the apex of the earlier module, while at the basis of each module these bundles are cross-linked by traverse bundles under f…

Bio-sintering processes in hexactinellid sponges: Fusion of bio-silica in giant basal spicules from Monorhaphis chuni☆

2009

The two sponge classes, Hexactinellida and Demospongiae, comprise a skeleton that is composed of siliceous skeletal elements (spicules). Spicule growth proceeds by appositional layering of lamellae that consist of silica nanoparticles, which are synthesized via the sponge-specific enzyme silicatein. While in demosponges during maturation the lamellae consolidate to a solid rod, the lamellar organization of hexactinellid spicules largely persists. However, the innermost lamellae, near the spicule core, can also fuse to a solid axial cylinder. Similar to the fusion of siliceous nanoparticles and lamella, in several hexactinellid species individual spicules unify during sintering-like processe…