Nomenclature Abstract for Endobugula sertula Haygood and Davidson 1997.

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Thomas Parker ◽  
George M Garrity
Keyword(s):  
2006 ◽  
Vol 72 (12) ◽  
pp. 7941-7944 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole B. Lopanik ◽  
Nancy M. Targett ◽  
Niels Lindquist

ABSTRACT “Candidatus Endobugula sertula,” the uncultured microbial symbiont of the bryozoan Bugula neritina, produces ecologically and biomedically important polyketide metabolites called bryostatins. We isolated two gene fragments from B. neritina larvae that have high levels of similarity to polyketide synthase genes. These gene fragments are clearly associated with the symbiont and not with the host.


2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 4531-4537 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. K. Davidson ◽  
S. W. Allen ◽  
G. E. Lim ◽  
C. M. Anderson ◽  
M. G. Haygood

ABSTRACT The marine bryozoan, Bugula neritina, is the source of the bryostatins, a family of macrocyclic lactones with anticancer activity. Bryostatins have long been suspected to be bacterial products. B. neritina harbors the uncultivated gamma proteobacterial symbiont “Candidatus Endobugula sertula.” In this work several lines of evidence are presented that show that the symbiont is the most likely source of bryostatins. Bryostatins are complex polyketides similar to bacterial secondary metabolites synthesized by modular type I polyketide synthases (PKS-I). PKS-I gene fragments were cloned from DNA extracted from the B. neritina-“E. sertula”association, and then primers specific to one of these clones, KSa, were shown to amplify the KSa gene specifically and universally from total B. neritina DNA. In addition, a KSa RNA probe was shown to bind specifically to the symbiotic bacteria located in the pallial sinus of the larvae of B. neritina and not to B. neritina cells or to other bacteria. Finally,B. neritina colonies grown in the laboratory were treated with antibiotics to reduce the numbers of bacterial symbionts. Decreased symbiont levels resulted in the reduction of the KSa signal as well as the bryostatin content. These data provide evidence that the symbiont E. sertula has the genetic potential to make bryostatins and is necessary in full complement for the host bryozoan to produce normal levels of bryostatins. This study demonstrates that it may be possible to clone bryostatin genes from B. neritina directly and use these to produce bryostatins in heterologous host bacteria.


2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 177-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Sinko ◽  
J. Rajchard ◽  
Z. Balounova ◽  
L. Fikotova

Some species of invertebrates especially bryozoans (Bryozoa syn. Ectoprocta) and marine sponges (Porifera) are very important sources of pharmacologically exploitable compounds. These substances are probably produced to protect themselves from fish predators and may be an advantage in competition. The real sources of compounds with these antipredatory effects are probably not marine invertebrates themselves, but microscopic symbionts or food which they feed on. Bryostatins from bryozoan species Bugula neritina are produced by a bacterial symbiont called Candidatus Endobugula sertula. They have significant anti-cancer effects, but also other therapeutic benefits. Compounds with the structure of bryostatins were also discovered in some other invertebrates. Sponges are a source of many compounds, e.g., ara-A (vidarabine), manzamine, lasonolides, spongistatins, peloruside and others with antimicrobial, anti-cancer, immunosuppressive and similar activities. Other important sources of compounds with medical effects are tunicates (Tunicata syn. Urochordata) and some snails (Mollusca). One drug was developed from tunicates – Yondelis against refractory soft-tissue sarcomas. Certain other drugs originate from snails: e.g., prialt, which acts against chronic pain in spinal cord injury.  


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