Culture of Explants from the Sponge Mycale cecilia to Obtain Bioactive Mycalazal-Type Metabolites

Abstract

Natural products with promising biomedical properties have been described from sponges, but the problem of supply is usually a limiting factor for their pharmacological evaluation. Mycale cecilia produces an array of metabolites containing a pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde moiety (e.g., mycalazals and mycalenitriles) that have shown activity as growth inhibitors of the human prostate carcinoma cell line LNcaP. This study shows that the culture of M. cecilia is a viable method to supply mycalazals while protecting the wild population. Small implants were bound to ceramic tiles, and after 3 to 4 days, the tissue samples formed a secure attachment. Subsequently, these explants were simultaneously cultured in their natural environment and in small tanks for 60 days. Sponges in the tanks were fed a diet consisting of a mixture of two microalgae (Tetraselmis sp. and Isochrysis sp.) and powdered yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The final survival of the explants differed significantly between the two farming methods: It was higher in the natural environment (95 ± 7.07%; overall mean ± standard error) than in the enclosed system (65 ± 21.21%). Growth was also higher than in the tanks, and after 60 days, it increased to 207% in the sea and 65% in the tanks, which represented a daily increase of 3.5% and 1.5%, respectively. At the end of the trial, both the explants cultured in the sea and in the tanks retained the production of bioactive metabolites. The mean concentration of pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde derivatives in wild and cultured sponges was determined by (1)H-NMR. These results demonstrate that in-sea aquaculture of M. cecilia is a viable method for supplying the amounts of mycalazal-type compounds needed to advance the studies on their bioactivity.

Biological variations in a long-term ex situ cultivation: a Mediterranean demosponge as model system

“…In this scenario, previous studies have investigated the possible influence of ex situ farming on sponge synthesis of bioactive metabolites, in most cases showing results comparable to those of wild specimens (de Caralt et al, 2003;Carballo et al, 2010). Moreover, some authors have observed greater metabolite production than that found in natural populations (Klöppel et al, 2008).…”

Examination of Marine-Based Cultivation of Three Demosponges for Acquiring Bioactive Marine Natural Products

“…However, concentrations of the desired compound are usually very low [6]. Harvesting sponges from nature is ecologically and economically not a valid option because of low sponge abundance [7]. This is known as the “supply problem” [4].…”

“…Semi-closed or closed systems could enable better control over environmental conditions during culture [18], possibly allowing annual rather than seasonal culture (depending on the species) [19] but cultivation in a controlled environment is to date problematic [7]. Proper handling procedures of fragments are vital to minimize damage and allow for fast recovery [20].…”

Validation and evaluation of an HPLC methodology for the quantification of the potent antimitotic compound (+)‐discodermolide in the Caribbean marine sponge Discodermia dissoluta

“…Although there have been multiple efforts to synthesize (+)‐discodermolide, it has not been possible to find a route for the production of this compound at an industrial level 6, 7. A feasible alternative to solve this supply problem is the use of in situ fragment cultures (aquaculture) or in vitro tissue cultures to obtain greater biomass and higher quantities of this metabolite 8, 9. Fortunately, it was discovered that in areas of Santa Marta in the Colombian Caribbean, there is a population of D. dissoluta at shallower depths (from 12 to 25 m) and in moderate densities (scattered patches of 2–5 individuals in 50 m 2 ) 10, 11.…”