Microbial Symbionts of Antarctic Marine Benthic Invertebrates

Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates are an underexplored source of natural products for biodiscovery. Bioactive marine natural products from Antarctica are reviewed here for their potential use as drugs, considering the main examples in Porifera (15 species), Cnidaria (eight species), Mollusca (one species), Bryozoa (one species), Nemertea (one species), Echinodermata (six species), and Tunicata (five species). A wide variety of bioactivities are reported here, from antitumoral to antimicrobial activities, as well as against neurodegenerative diseases and others. If we aim to use their chemodiversity for human benefits we must maintain the biodiversity, solving the supply problem, speeding up the process, and decreasing research costs to fully exploit the benefits of biodiscovery in Antarctic Marine Natural Products in a near future in a sustainable way.

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In situ microplastics ingestion by Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-10252 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jessica Hurley ◽

Jorg Hardege ◽

Katharina C. Wollenberg Valero ◽

Simon Morley

Keyword(s):

Benthic Invertebrates ◽

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Ethylene Vinyl Acetate ◽

Feeding Strategies ◽

Research Station ◽

Polar Regions ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

Marine Benthic Invertebrates ◽

The Antarctic ◽

Polymer Type

Microplastics have been recognised as persistent marine contaminants and mounting evidence supports their designation as anthropogenic stressors to marine organisms. Despite the remoteness of Antarctica, microplastics contamination has been reported in every marine environment investigated in this area to date. Due to ocean currents and frontal systems, microplastics may become entrapped within polar regions and increase bioavailibilty to inhabiting fauna. Antarctic marine benthic invertebrates represent a research priority due to their sensitivity to change as well as contribution to ecological functioning and food webs. The current study investigated microplastics ingestion by the epifaunal, carnivorous polychaete Barrukia cristata and the infaunal, filter-feeding bivalve, Laternula elliptica. Animals were collected by SCUBA adjacent to Rothera research station, Adelaide Island. After digestion in 10 % potassium hydroxide (KOH) followed by filtration, microplastics ingested by individual animals were separated. Microplastics were then counted and characterised by shape, colour, size and polymer type by Micro-Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was the most abundant polymer type, followed by polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA). Congruent to earlier reports, fibres were found to be the most abundant source of microplastics contamination. However, it must be highlighted that fragments were also recovered from the animals analysed. Results determined the current level of microplastics ingestion by two benthic marine invertebrates of different feeding strategies in coastal environments of the Antarctic Peninsula. These findings indicated the bioavailability of microplastics and highlighted the potential of trophic transfer throughout the Antarctic marine food web.

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Dispersal of marine benthic invertebrates through ice rafting

Ecology ◽

10.1890/12-1049.1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 94 (1) ◽

pp. 250-256 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Colin B. A. Macfarlane ◽

David Drolet ◽

Myriam A. Barbeau ◽

Diana J. Hamilton ◽

Jeff Ollerhead

Keyword(s):

Benthic Invertebrates ◽

Ice Rafting ◽

Marine Benthic Invertebrates

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The Distribution of Hyas Araneus (L.) and Hyas Coarctatus Leach (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura) in the North Sea and the Svalbard Region

Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom ◽

10.1017/s0025315400060902 ◽

1985 ◽

Vol 65 (1) ◽

pp. 195-201 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

M. F. Dyer

Keyword(s):

Relative Density ◽

North Sea ◽

Benthic Invertebrates ◽

Distribution Patterns ◽

The North ◽

The North Sea ◽

Hyas Araneus ◽

Presence And Absence ◽

Marine Benthic Invertebrates

The distribution patterns of many marine benthic invertebrates are not well known, and when records exist they are usually in the form of presence and absence data with little or no information on the relative density of populations from area to area.

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Bacteria Associated with Marine Benthic Invertebrates from Polar Environments: Unexplored Frontiers for Biodiscovery?

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d10030080 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 80 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Angelina Lo Giudice ◽

Carmen Rizzo

Keyword(s):

Benthic Invertebrates ◽

Marine Invertebrates ◽

Biologically Active ◽

The Arctic ◽

Physiological Changes ◽

Invertebrate Host ◽

Cold Adapted ◽

Marine Areas ◽

Marine Benthic Invertebrates ◽

Symbiotic Community

The ecological function of bacteria-invertebrate interactions in Polar areas remains poorly understood, despite increasing evidence that microbial metabolites may play pivotal roles in host-associated chemical defense and in shaping the symbiotic community structure. The metabolic and physiological changes that these organisms undergo in response to adapting to extreme conditions result in the production of structurally and functionally novel biologically active molecules. Deepening our knowledge on the interactions between bacteria and their invertebrate host would be highly helpful in providing the rationale for why (e.g., competition or cooperative purpose) and which (whether secondary metabolites, enzymes, or proteins) bioactive compounds are produced. To date, cold-adapted bacteria associated with marine invertebrates from the Arctic and Antarctica have not been given the attention they deserve and the versatility of their natural products remains virtually unexplored, even if they could represent a new attractive frontier in the search for novel natural compounds. This review is aimed at showcasing the diversity of cold-adapted bacteria associated with benthic invertebrates from Polar marine areas, highlighting the yet unexplored treasure they represent for biodiscovery.

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