Who Produces Ianthelline? The Arctic Sponge Stryphnus fortis or its Sponge Epibiont Hexadella dedritifera: a Probable Case of Sponge-Sponge Contamination

J Chem Ecol. 2016 Apr;42(4):339-47. doi: 10.1007/s10886-016-0693-z. Epub 2016 Apr 18.

Abstract

The bromotyrosine derivative ianthelline was isolated recently from the Atlantic boreo-arctic deep-sea sponge Stryphnus fortis, and shown to have clear antitumor and antifouling effects. However, chemosystematics, field observations, and targeted metabolic analyses (using UPLC-MS) suggest that ianthelline is not produced by S. fortis but by Hexadella dedritifera, a sponge that commonly grows on S. fortis. This case highlights the importance of combining taxonomic and ecological knowledge to the field of sponge natural products research.

Keywords: Aiolochroia; Bromotyrosine; Chemosystematics; Ianthelline; Porifera; Tetractinellida; Verongiida.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arctic Regions*
  • Artifacts
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Imidazoles / analysis
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Porifera / classification
  • Porifera / metabolism*
  • Species Specificity
  • Tyrosine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Tyrosine / analysis
  • Tyrosine / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Imidazoles
  • ianthelline
  • Tyrosine