Extracts of the marine sponge Caminus sphaeroconia showed potent activity in a screen for bacterial type III secretion inhibitors. Bioassay guided fractionation of the extract led to the isolation of the novel antimicrobial glycolipid caminoside A (1). The structure of caminoside A was elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and chemical degradation.[structure: see text]

Seasonal growth rates, Standing crops, agar contents and thallus nitrogen levels were recorded in an intertidal population of the agarophyte, G. pristoides, in order to assist with the management of this commercially exploited species. Growth (linear elongation of fronds) was seasonal,, with highest values recorded in late summer (February 1984 = 0.38 mm day" 1 , January 1985 = 0.37 mm day-1 ) and lowest values in late winter (August 1983 = 0.15 mm day" 1 , August 1984 = 0.07 mm day" 1 ). Standing crops were highest (approximately 450 g dry wt m~2) in March 1984 (late summer) and generally throughout the following spring and summer (October 1984 to March 1985, and lowest (approximately 300g dry wt m~2) in winter. The highest agar content (48% of dry wt) was recorded in midsummer, and lowest content (30% of dry wt) in winter. The agar contents were inversely related to thallus nitrogen levels, which varied from 2.3 to 3.5% (of dry wt). The agar contents of distal halves of plant thalli were higher (8 to 15% of dry wt) than from the proximal halves.

Reinvestigation of the extract of the ascidian Didemnum granulatum collected on the Brazilian coastline led to the isolation of two minor compounds, granulatimide (2) and 6-bromogranulatimide (3), which have been identified by analysis of their spectroscopic data. The isolation of 2 and 3 from D. granulatum corroborates previous assumptions about the occurrence of granulatimide as a natural product.

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