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Zootaxa Jan 2023Sponges are common and diverse in California, but they have received little study in the region, and the identities of many common species remain unclear. Here we...
Sponges are common and diverse in California, but they have received little study in the region, and the identities of many common species remain unclear. Here we combine fresh collections and museum vouchers to revise the order Axinellida for California. Seven new species are described: Endectyon (Endectyon) hispitumulus, Eurypon curvoclavus, Aulospongus viridans, Aulospongus lajollaensis, Halicnemia litorea, Halicnemia montereyensis, and Halicnemia weltoni. One new combination is also described, and two existing species are reduced to junior synonyms, resulting in a total of 13 species; a dichotomous key to differentiate them is provided. DNA data from 9 of the 13 species is combined with publicly available data to produce updated global phylogenies for the order.
Topics: Animals; California; Phylogeny; Porifera
PubMed: 37044829
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5230.5.1 -
Integrative and Comparative Biology Dec 2015The Porifera (sponges) is one of the earliest phyletic lineages to branch off the metazoan tree. Although the body-plan of sponges is among the simplest in the animal... (Review)
Review
The Porifera (sponges) is one of the earliest phyletic lineages to branch off the metazoan tree. Although the body-plan of sponges is among the simplest in the animal kingdom and sponges lack nervous systems that communicate environmental signals to other cells, their larvae have sensory systems that generate coordinated responses to environmental cues. In eumetazoans (Cnidaria and Bilateria), the nervous systems of larvae often regulate metamorphosis through Ca(2+)-dependent signal transduction. In sponges, neither the identity of the receptor system that detects an inductive environmental cue (hereafter "metamorphic cues") nor the signaling system that mediates settlement and metamorphosis are known. Using a combination of behavioral assays and surgical manipulations, we show here that specialized epithelial cells-referred to as flask cells-enriched in the anterior third of the Amphimedon queenslandica larva are most likely to be the sensory cells that detect the metamorphic cues. Surgical removal of the region enriched in flask cells in a larva inhibits the initiation of metamorphosis. The flask cell has an apical sensory apparatus with a cilium surrounded by an apical F-actin-rich protrusion, and numerous vesicles, hallmarks of eumetazoan sensory-neurosecretory cells. We demonstrate that these flask cells respond to metamorphic cues by elevating intracellular Ca(2+) levels, and that this elevation is necessary for the initiation of metamorphosis. Taken together, these analyses suggest that sponge larvae have sensory-secretory epithelial cells capable of converting exogenous cues into internal signals via Ca(2+)-mediated signaling, which is necessary for the initiation of metamorphosis. Similarities in the morphology, physiology, and function of the sensory flask cells in sponge larvae with the sensory/neurosecretory cells in eumetazoan larvae suggest this sensory system predates the divergence of Porifera and Eumetazoa.
Topics: Animals; Calcium Signaling; Egtazic Acid; Larva; Metamorphosis, Biological; Porifera
PubMed: 25898842
DOI: 10.1093/icb/icv014 -
Chemical Biology & Drug Design Aug 2021The activities of marine alkaloids are manifested in antifungus and antimalaria. The optimization process, chemical synthesis, antimalarial activity, and antibacterial... (Review)
Review
The activities of marine alkaloids are manifested in antifungus and antimalaria. The optimization process, chemical synthesis, antimalarial activity, and antibacterial activity of various compounds were discussed.
Topics: Alkaloids; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antimalarials; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Gram-Positive Bacteria; Plasmodium falciparum; Porifera; Structure-Activity Relationship
PubMed: 34008345
DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13892 -
Conservation Biology : the Journal of... Feb 2015Sponges are important for maintaining ecosystem function and integrity of marine and freshwater benthic communities worldwide. Despite this, there has been no assessment... (Review)
Review
Sponges are important for maintaining ecosystem function and integrity of marine and freshwater benthic communities worldwide. Despite this, there has been no assessment of their current global conservation status. We assessed their status, accounting for the distribution of research effort; patterns of temporal variation in sponge populations and assemblages; the number of sponges on threatened species lists; and the impact of environmental pressures. Sponge research effort has been variable; marine sponges in the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean and freshwater sponges in Europe and North America have received the most attention. Although sponge abundance has increased in some locations since 1990, these were typically on coral reefs, in response to declines in other benthic organisms, and restricted to a few species. Few data were available on temporal trends in freshwater sponge abundance. Despite over 8500 described sponge species, only 20 are on threatened species lists, and all are marine species from the northeastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Of the 202 studies identified, the effects of temperature, suspended sediment, substratum loss, and microbial pathogens have been studied the most intensively for marine sponges, although responses appear to be variable. There were 20 studies examining environmental impacts on freshwater sponges, and most of these were on temperature and heavy metal contamination. We found that most sponges do not appear to be threatened globally. However, little information is available for most species and more data are needed on the impacts of anthropogenic-related pressures. This is a critical information gap in understanding sponge conservation status.
Topics: Animals; Conservation of Natural Resources; Ecosystem; Porifera; Species Specificity
PubMed: 25599574
DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12447 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Feb 2021Marine sponges are one of the prolific producers of bioactive natural products with therapeutic potential. As an important subgenus of , sponges are mainly distributed... (Review)
Review
Marine sponges are one of the prolific producers of bioactive natural products with therapeutic potential. As an important subgenus of , sponges are mainly distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic area, and had been chemically investigated for over four decades. By an extensive literature search, this review first makes a comprehensive summary of all natural products from sponges and their endozoic microbes, as well as biological properties. Perspectives on strengthening the chemical study of sponges for new drug-lead discovery are provided in this work.
Topics: Animals; Aquatic Organisms; Biological Products; Models, Molecular; Porifera
PubMed: 33669688
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26041097 -
Marine Drugs May 2024Marine sponges of the genus have proven to be unabated sources of novel secondary metabolites with remarkable scaffold diversities and significant bioactivities. The... (Review)
Review
Marine sponges of the genus have proven to be unabated sources of novel secondary metabolites with remarkable scaffold diversities and significant bioactivities. The discovery of chemical substances from sponges has continued to increase over the last few years. The current work provides an up-to-date literature survey and comprehensive insight into the reported metabolites from the members of the genus , as well as their structural features, biological activities, and structure-activity relationships when available. In this review, 222 metabolites are discussed based on published data from the period from mid-2015 to the beginning of 2024. The compounds are categorized into sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, sesterterpenes, meroterpenes, linear furanoterpenes, steroids, alkaloids, and other miscellaneous substances. The biological effects of these chemical compositions on a vast array of pharmacological assays including cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, neuroprotective, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B)-inhibitory, and phytoregulating activities are also presented.
Topics: Porifera; Animals; Humans; Structure-Activity Relationship; Biological Products; Secondary Metabolism
PubMed: 38786604
DOI: 10.3390/md22050213 -
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution Jan 2016Carnivorous sponges are characterized by their unique method of capturing mesoplanktonic prey coupled with the complete or partial reduction of the aquiferous system...
Carnivorous sponges are characterized by their unique method of capturing mesoplanktonic prey coupled with the complete or partial reduction of the aquiferous system characteristic of the phylum Porifera. Current systematics place the vast majority of carnivorous sponges within Cladorhizidae, with certain species assigned to Guitarridae and Esperiopsidae. Morphological characters have not been able to show whether this classification is evolutionary accurate, and whether carnivory has evolved once or in several lineages. In the present paper we present the first comprehensive molecular phylogeny of the carnivorous sponges, interpret these results in conjunction with morphological characters, and propose a revised classification of the group. Molecular phylogenies were inferred using 18S rDNA and a combined dataset of partial 28S rDNA, COI and ALG11 sequences. The results recovered carnivorous sponges as a clade closely related to the families Mycalidae and Guitarridae, showing family Cladorhizidae to be monophyletic and also including carnivorous species currently placed in other families. The genus Lycopodina is resurrected for species currently placed in the paraphyletic subgenus Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) featuring forceps spicules and lacking sigmas or sigmancistras. The genera Chondrocladia and Cladorhiza are found to be monophyletic. However, results indicate that the subgenus Chondrocladia is polyphyletic with respect to the subgenera Meliiderma and Symmetrocladia. Euchelipluma, formerly Guitarridae, is retained, but transferred to Cladorhizidae. The four known carnivorous species currently in Esperiopsis are transferred to Abyssocladia. Neocladia is a junior homonym and is here renamed Koltunicladia. Our results provide strong evidence in support of the hypothesis that carnivory in sponges has evolved only once. While spicule characters mostly reflect monophyletic groups at the generic level, differences between genera represent evolution within family Cladorhizidae rather than evolution of carnivory in separate lineages. Conflicting spicule characters can be reinterpreted to support the inclusion of all carnivorous sponges within Cladorhizidae, and a carnivorous habit should thus be considered the main diagnostic character in systematic classification.
Topics: Animals; Biological Evolution; Carnivory; DNA, Ribosomal; Electron Transport Complex IV; Phylogeny; Porifera; Predatory Behavior; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S; RNA, Ribosomal, 28S
PubMed: 26416707
DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2015.08.022 -
Developmental Biology Nov 2017A complex genetic repertoire underlies the apparently simple body plan of sponges. Among the genes present in poriferans are those fundamental to the sensory and nervous... (Review)
Review
A complex genetic repertoire underlies the apparently simple body plan of sponges. Among the genes present in poriferans are those fundamental to the sensory and nervous systems of other animals. Sponges are dynamic and sensitive animals and it is intuitive to link these genes to behaviour. The proposal that ctenophores are the earliest diverging metazoan has led to the question of whether sponges possess a 'pre-nervous' system or have undergone nervous system loss. Both lines of thought generally assume that the last common ancestor of sponges and eumetazoans possessed the genetic modules that underlie sensory abilities. By corollary extant sponges may possess a sensory cell homologous to one present in the last common ancestor, a hypothesis that has been studied by gene expression. We have performed a meta-analysis of all gene expression studies published to date to explore whether gene expression is indicative of a feature's sensory function. In sponges we find that eumetazoan sensory-neural markers are not particularly expressed in structures with known sensory functions. Instead it is common for these genes to be expressed in cells with no known or uncharacterized sensory function. Indeed, many sensory-neural markers so far studied are expressed during development, perhaps because many are transcription factors. This suggests that the genetic signal of a sponge sensory cell is dissimilar enough to be unrecognizable when compared to a bilaterian sensory or neural cell. It is possible that sensory-neural markers have as yet unknown functions in sponge cells, such as assembling an immunological synapse in the larval globular cell. Furthermore, the expression of sensory-neural markers in non-sensory cells, such as adult and larval epithelial cells, suggest that these cells may have uncharacterized sensory functions. While this does not rule out the co-option of ancestral sensory modules in later evolving groups, a distinct genetic foundation may underlie the sponge sensory system.
Topics: Animals; Evolution, Molecular; Gene Expression; Phylogeny; Porifera; Sensation; Sensory Receptor Cells; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 28647138
DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2017.06.012 -
Advances in Protein Chemistry and... 2019Cell-to-cell signaling is responsible for regulation of many developmental processes such as proliferation, cell migration, survival, cell fate specification and axis... (Review)
Review
Cell-to-cell signaling is responsible for regulation of many developmental processes such as proliferation, cell migration, survival, cell fate specification and axis patterning. In this article we discussed the role of signaling in the metamorphosis of sponges with a focus on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) accompanying this event. Sponges (Porifera) are an ancient lineage of morphologically simple animals occupying a basal position on the tree of life. The study of these animals is necessary for understanding the origin of multicellularity and the evolution of developmental processes. Development of sponges is quite diverse. It finishes with the metamorphosis of a free-swimming larva into a young settled sponge. The outer surface of sponge larvae consists of a ciliated epithelial sheath, which ensures locomotion, while their internal structure varies from genus to genus. The fate of larval ciliated cells is the most intriguing aspect of metamorphosis. In this review we discuss the fate of larval ciliated cells, the processes going on in cells during metamorphosis at the molecular level and the regulation of this process. The review is based on information about several sponge species with a focus on Halisarca dujardini, Sycon ciliatum and Amphimedon queenslandica. In our model sponge, H. dujardini, ciliated cells leave the larval epithelium during metamorphosis and migrate to the internal cell mass as amoeboid cells to be differentiated into choanocytes of the juvenile sponge. Ciliated cells undergo EMT and internalize within minutes. As EMT involves the disappearance of adherens junctions and as cadherin, the main adherens junction protein, was identified in the transcriptome of several sponges, we suppose that EMT is regulated through cadherin-containing adherens junctions between ciliated cells. We failed to identify the master genes of EMT in the H. dujardini transcriptome, possibly because transcription was absent in the sequenced stages. They may be revealed by a search in the genome. The master genes themselves are controlled by various signaling pathways. Sponges have all the six signaling pathways conserved in Metazoa: Wnt, TGF-beta, Hedgehog, Notch, FGF and NO-dependent pathways. Summarizing the new data about intercellular communication in sponges, we can put forward two main questions regarding metamorphosis: (1) Which of the signaling pathways and in what hierarchical order are involved in metamorphosis? (2) How is the organization of a young sponge related to that of the larva or, in other words, is there a heredity of axes between the larva and the adult sponge?
Topics: Animals; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Larva; Metamorphosis, Biological; Porifera; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 31036299
DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2019.02.002 -
Marine Drugs Jan 2017, one of the most common marine sponges in tropical and subtropical oceans, has been shown to be a prolific producer of natural products with a broad spectrum of... (Review)
Review
, one of the most common marine sponges in tropical and subtropical oceans, has been shown to be a prolific producer of natural products with a broad spectrum of biological activities. This review for the first time provides a comprehensive overview of secondary metabolites produced by spp. over the 37 years from 1980 to 2016.
Topics: Animals; Biological Products; Humans; Porifera
PubMed: 28067826
DOI: 10.3390/md15010012