Ecology of Antarctic Marine Sponges: An Overview

Studies were continued to investigate the ability of secondary metabolites sequestered in Antarctic sponges to cause feeding deterrent responses (tube foot retractions) in a common predator of Aritarctic sponges, the sea star Perknaster fuscus. Lipophilic (dichloromethane/methanol) and hydrophilic (methanol/water) extracts of 15 new species of Antarctic marine sponges were tested for their ability to induce sustained tubefoot retraction. One additional species, Cinchyra antarctica, was re-tested from a previous study because we discovered a colour morph that was of comparative interest. Employing established protocols, sponge extracts were imbedded in silicone and presented to an extended tube-foot on the tip of a glass rod. Extracts of ten of the 15 new species of sponges (67%) caused significantly longer tube-foot retractions than controls. Among all sponges tested, significant tube-foot retraction activity was primarily associated with dichloromethane/methanol extracts (eleven sponge species or colour morphs), while significant tube-foot retraction activity was less common in response to methanol/water extracts (three sponges species or colour morphs). Both lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts from the sponges C. antarctica (yellow morph) and Scolymastia joubini elicited significant tube-foot retraction activity, suggesting that more than one compound from these speciesmight elicit tube-foot retractions in P. fuscus. Overall these findings lend considerable support to the hypothesis that there has been significant evolutionary selection for chemical defences among Antarctic marine sponges in McMurdo Sound, in contrast to earlier biogeographic selection models that predicted low levels of chemical defences in polar marine invertebrates.

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Cold-active pectinolytic activity produced by filamentous fungi associated with Antarctic marine sponges

Biological Research ◽

10.1186/s40659-018-0177-4 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Gabriela Poveda ◽

Carlos Gil-Durán ◽

Inmaculada Vaca ◽

Gloria Levicán ◽

Renato Chávez

Keyword(s):

Filamentous Fungi ◽

Marine Sponges ◽

Pectinolytic Activity ◽

Cold Active ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

Antarctic Marine Sponges

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Cold-Active Xylanase Produced by Fungi Associated with Antarctic Marine Sponges

Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology ◽

10.1007/s12010-013-0551-1 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 172 (1) ◽

pp. 524-532 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Abdiel Del-Cid ◽

Pamela Ubilla ◽

María-Cristina Ravanal ◽

Exequiel Medina ◽

Inmaculada Vaca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Marine Sponges ◽

Cold Active ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

Antarctic Marine Sponges

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Diversity of cultivable fungi associated with Antarctic marine sponges and screening for their antimicrobial, antitumoral and antioxidant potential

World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology ◽

10.1007/s11274-013-1418-x ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 65-76 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Marlene Henríquez ◽

Karen Vergara ◽

Javiera Norambuena ◽

Andrea Beiza ◽

Felipe Maza ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Marine Sponges ◽

Antioxidant Potential ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

Antarctic Marine Sponges

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Screening of the Antarctic marine sponges (Porifera) as a source of bioactive compounds

Polar Biology ◽

10.1007/s00300-015-1835-4 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 39 (5) ◽

pp. 947-959 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Sabina Berne ◽

Martina Kalauz ◽

Marko Lapat ◽

Lora Savin ◽

Dorte Janussen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bioactive Compounds ◽

Marine Sponges ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

The Antarctic ◽

Antarctic Marine Sponges

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Chemical defenses against diatom fouling in Antarctic marine sponges

Biofouling ◽

10.1080/08927010009378428 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 29-45 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Charles D Amsler ◽

Chris B Moeller ◽

James B McClintock ◽

Katrin B Iken ◽

Bill J Baker

Keyword(s):

Marine Sponges ◽

Chemical Defenses ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

Antarctic Marine Sponges

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Biological Activities of Ethanolic Extracts from Deep-Sea Antarctic Marine Sponges

Marine Drugs ◽

10.3390/md11041126 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 11 (12) ◽

pp. 1126-1139 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Tom Turk ◽

Jerneja Avguštin ◽

Urška Batista ◽

Gašper Strugar ◽

Rok Kosmina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Deep Sea ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Marine Sponges ◽

Ethanolic Extracts ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

Antarctic Marine Sponges

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Description of the First Four Species of the Genus Pseudogymnoascus From Antarctica

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.713189 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Pablo Villanueva ◽

Ghislaine Vásquez ◽

Carlos Gil-Durán ◽

Vicente Oliva ◽

Anaí Díaz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Southern Hemisphere ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Strong Support ◽

Marine Sponges ◽

Diverse Group ◽

Antarctic Marine ◽

Antarctic Marine Sponges ◽

Shape And Size

The genus Pseudogymnoascus represents a diverse group of fungi widely distributed in different cold regions on Earth. Our current knowledge of the species of Pseudogymnoascus is still very limited. Currently, there are only 15 accepted species of Pseudogymnoascus that have been isolated from different environments in the Northern Hemisphere. In contrast, species of Pseudogymnoascus from the Southern Hemisphere have not yet been described. In this work, we characterized four fungal strains obtained from Antarctic marine sponges. Based on multilocus phylogenetic analyses and morphological characterizations we determined that these strains are new species, for which the names Pseudogymnoascus antarcticus sp. nov., Pseudogymnoascus australis sp. nov., Pseudogymnoascus griseus sp. nov., and Pseudogymnoascus lanuginosus sp. nov. are proposed. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that the new species form distinct lineages separated from other species of Pseudogymnoascus with strong support. The new species do not form sexual structures and differ from the currently known species mainly in the shape and size of their conidia, the presence of chains of arthroconidia, and the appearance of their colonies. This is the first report of new species of Pseudogymnoascus not only from Antarctica but also from the Southern Hemisphere.

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