scholarly journals Chemical defense of Hymeniacidon heliophila (Porifera: halichondrida) against tropical predators

2010 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 315-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suzi Meneses Ribeiro ◽  
Éverson Miguel Bianco ◽  
Ricardo Rogers ◽  
Valéria Laneuville Teixeira ◽  
Renato Crespo Pereira

Various benthic organisms have chemical defenses which reduce their predators' consumption. Although their efficiency may be noticed in many organisms, many of their effects are not well- known yet. Multiple ecological roles of secondary metabolites are shown in some sponges, which may represent an adaptative advantage considering the high amount of energy used to produce these chemical compounds. The goal of this work was to investigate the defensive property of the extracts from the sponge Hymeniacidon heliophila against the tropical predators: hermit crabs (Calcinus tibicens), sea urchins (Lytechinus variegatus) and generalist fishes. Extracts obtained with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and acetone/methanol were used in assays and all of them were effective in reducing the consumption by C. tibicens; n-hexane extract reduced the consumption by L. variegatus; and medium polarity extracts reduced fish consumption. Either the variation in action or the multiple ecological roles of the extracts indicates that different types of compounds can be associated to the defensive system produced by H. heliophila.

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1198
Author(s):  
Stuart McMichael ◽  
Pilar Fernández-Ibáñez ◽  
John Anthony Byrne

The photoexcitation of suitable semiconducting materials in aqueous environments can lead to the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS can inactivate microorganisms and degrade a range of chemical compounds. In the case of heterogeneous photocatalysis, semiconducting materials may suffer from fast recombination of electron–hole pairs and require post-treatment to separate the photocatalyst when a suspension system is used. To reduce recombination and improve the rate of degradation, an externally applied electrical bias can be used where the semiconducting material is immobilised onto an electrically conducive support and connected to a counter electrode. These electrochemically assisted photocatalytic systems have been termed “photoelectrocatalytic” (PEC). This review will explain the fundamental mechanism of PECs, photoelectrodes, the different types of PEC reactors reported in the literature, the (photo)electrodes used, the contaminants degraded, the key findings and prospects in the research area.


Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 522
Author(s):  
Patrick Romano Monteiro ◽  
Samuel Cavalcante do Amaral ◽  
Andrei Santos Siqueira ◽  
Luciana Pereira Xavier ◽  
Agenor Valadares Santos

Cyanobacteria are microorganisms with photosynthetic mechanisms capable of colonizing several distinct environments worldwide. They can produce a vast spectrum of bioactive compounds with different properties, resulting in an improved adaptative capacity. Their richness in secondary metabolites is related to their unique and diverse metabolic apparatus, such as Non-Ribosomal Peptide Synthetases (NRPSs). One important class of peptides produced by the non-ribosomal pathway is anabaenopeptins. These cyclic hexapeptides demonstrated inhibitory activity towards phosphatases and proteases, which could be related to their toxicity and adaptiveness against zooplankters and crustaceans. Thus, this review aims to identify key features related to anabaenopeptins, including the diversity of their structure, occurrence, the biosynthetic steps for their production, ecological roles, and biotechnological applications.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Zorica Popović ◽  
Dijana Krstić-Milošević ◽  
Milena Marković ◽  
Vera Vidaković ◽  
Srđan Bojović

Natural populations of Gentiana asclepiadea L., located at two mountainous sites, were HPLC-analyzed regarding the contents of six representative secondary metabolites. The contents of swertiamarin (SWM), gentiopicrin (GP), sweroside (SWZ), mangiferin (MGF), isoorientin (ISOOR), and isovitexin (ISOV) were determined in six populations (three per study site), and separately for aboveground and belowground plant parts. PCA showed a clear separation of four groups according to the contents of the analyzed secondary metabolites. Out of six analyzed compounds, five were present in all samples and only one (SWZ) was found in Golija populations (belowground parts) but not in Vlasina populations, and its presence can be indicative of the geolocation of populations. Clear separation of groups was mostly affected by the different contents of chemical compounds in plant parts (aboveground versus belowground) and by the differences related to population origin (higher content of SWM and GP in belowground parts of individuals from Vlasina populations and higher content of MGF and ISOOR of individuals from Golija populations). The results of this study contribute to the spatiochemical profiling of G. asclepiadea populations and a better understanding of inter- and intrapopulation variability of pharmacologically important compounds.


2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-91
Author(s):  
Jeeshna M.V

The present study revealed the presence of many medicinally active constituent in Lygodium flexuosum, suggesting that this species have potential to synthesize useful secondary metabolites. In this studies two different types (vegetative material and sporophyll bearing type) of this species showed the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, phenols and glycosides. In which vegetative material showed the presence of all secondary metabolites. The low polar solvent extracts such as petroleum ether and acetone showed minimum presence of secondary metabolites. The antibacterial studies revealed that methanol extracts of sporophyll type exhibited significant activity (8.5 mm) against the bacterium, Klebsiella pneumonia. The next antibacterial activity showed by chloroform extracts of sporophyll type against the same bacteria (8.2 mm). In antifungal studies, methanol extracts of vegetative material has the highest inhibitory activity (19.3 mm) against the fungus Cladosporium sp. Next higher fungal activity was showed by same extract of sporophyll type against the fungus Rhizopus sp. (16.08 mm). The study confirms the antimicrobial potential of Lygodium flexuosum extracted using various solvents.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. V. Shadrin ◽  
E. V. Anufriieva ◽  
S. N. Shadrina

Widespread, including in Crimea, hypersaline waters are among the most extreme habitats of the planet. The need to adapt organisms to living in polyextreme environment has led to the development of a variety of adaptive mechanisms with a synthesis of unique secondary metabolites, which makes organisms dwelling hypersaline waters very promising to use them in different areas of biotechnology and aquaculture. There are three groups of phototrophs using different types of phototrophy in the Crimean hypersaline waters: oxygenic photosynthesis (cyanobacteria, microalgae, and plants), anoxygenic photosynthesis (purple and green bacteria) and proton bacteriorhodopsin pump (archaea). Diversity and roles of these groups in the Crimean lakes and lagoons as well as some perspectives of their practical use are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sutaria Devanshi ◽  
Kamlesh R. Shah ◽  
Sudipti Arora ◽  
Sonika Saxena

Biotechnological tools engaged in the bioremediation process are in reality, sophisticated and dynamic in character. For specialized reasons, a broad variety of such devices are employed to produce a safe and balanced environment free of all types of toxins and so make life simpler for humans on planet Earth. Actinomycetes is one of these extremely important and functionally helpful groups. They can be used for a variety of bioremediation objectives, including biotransformation, biodegradation, and many more. Actinomycetes are one of the most varied groups of filamentous bacteria, capable of prospering in a variety of ecological settings because to their bioactive capabilities. They’re famous for their metabolic diversity, which includes the synthesis of commercially useful primary and secondary metabolites. They produce a range of enzymes capable of totally destroying all of the constituents. They are well-known for their ability to produce bioactive secondary metabolites. Members of various genera of Actinomycetes show promise for application in the bioconversion of underutilized urban and agricultural waste into high-value chemical compounds. The most potential source is a wide range of important enzymes, some of which are synthesized on an industrial scale, but there are many more that have yet to be discovered. Bioremediation methods, which use naturally existing microbes to clear residues and contaminated regions of dangerous organic chemicals, are improving all the time. In the realm of biotechnological science, the potential of actinomycetes for bioremediation and the synthesis of secondary metabolites has opened up intriguing prospects for a sustainable environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 61
Author(s):  
Tessalonica Dajoh ◽  
Robert A Bara ◽  
Esther Angkouw ◽  
Medy Ompi ◽  
Rosita A Lintang ◽  
...  

Phyllidiella nigra is an organism that is suspected to have secondary metabolites because their ability to develop its self defense system by camouflage and using chemical compounds derived from their nature diet as deterrent against their predators. The purpose of this study was to isolate symbiotic bacterial derived from P. nigra, extracted and followed by, the antibacterial assays against Escherichia coli and Bacillus megaterium as well as the anti-UV assay. The results showed that the five isolates tested had an antibacterial activity with the highest average inhibition zone against E. coli DSM 498 bacteria, isolate 1 (14.67 mm), isolate 5 (14 mm), and against B. Megaterium DSM 32T bacteria, isolate 3 (13.33 mm). The three isolates which had the highest inhibition zone and P. nigra extract were tested for anti-UV assay using a UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. The results obtained isolate 3 has absorption of UV-A with the UV absorbtion maximum at λ 340 nm and P. nigra extract has absorption on UV-B radiation with UV absorption maximum at λ 290 nm. Key words: Nudibranchia, Bacteria, Anti-bacteial, Anti-UV Phyllidiella nigra merupakan organisme yang diduga memiliki metabolit sekunder karena mampu mengembangkan sistem pertahanan dirinya dengan cara kamuflase dan menggunakan senyawa kimia sebagai racun yang didapat dari makanannya. Tujuan dari penelitian ini yaitu mendapatkan isolat bakteri yang bersimbiosis dengan P. nigra, mendapatkan ekstrak dari baktri simbion, dan menguji antibakteri dan anti-UV ekstrak etil aseta bakteri simbion dengan metode difusi agar terhadap bakteri Escherichia coli dan Bacillus megaterium. Hasil penelitian didapatkan kelima isolat yang diuji memiliki aktivitas antibakteri dengan rerata zona hambat tertinggi terhadap bakteri E. coli DSM 498 yaitu isolat 1 (14,67 mm), isolat 5 (14 mm), dan terhadap baktri B. megaterium DSM 32T yaitu isolat 3 (13,33 mm). Ketiga isolat yang memiliki zona hambat tertinggi dan ekstrak P. nigra diujikan anti-UV menggunakan alat UV-Vis Spektrofotometer. Hasil yang didapat isolat 3 memiliki serapan terhadap radiasi sinar UV-A dengan puncak tertinggi pada λ 340 nm dan ekstrak P. nigra memiliki serapan terhadap radiasi sinar UV-B dengan puncak tertinggi berada pada λ 290 nm. Kata kunci: Nudibranchia, Bacteria, Anti-bacteial, Anti-UV


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