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The chemical constituents of gorgonian Junceella fragilis Ridley, collected from Ximao Island, the South China Sea, were investigated. A new briarane-type diterpenoid, named fragilide Y (1), together with five known compounds (2–6), namely fragilide D (2), cholesterol (3), ergosterol peroxide (4), 2'-deoxythymidine (5) and cis-thyminenol (6), were isolated from the acetone extract of J. fragilis. The structure of the new compound 1 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, while the known compounds were identified by comparison with the reported data. In bioassay, none of these compounds displayed obvious anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic effects.
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Abstract Four bisabolanes 1–4, including perezone (1) and triacetyl perezone (2), were isolated through a bioassay-guided fractionation of the extract obtained from the Caribbean gorgonian coral Pseudopterogorgia rigida collected during an expedition cruise to the Bahamas. All isolated compounds showed to be cytotoxic toward panel of four human tumor cell lines, as quantified by the MTT assay after 72 h incubation. Perezone (1), the most active one, was further analyzed, showing to be cytotoxic, but not selective, in a 12-cell line panel comprising tumor and non-tumor, as well as human and murine cells. Additionally, 1 was assayed for cytotoxicity against HL-60 leukemic cells. Pre-treatment with an acute free radical scavenger (L-NAC) before exposure of cells to perezone virtually eliminated the generation of intracellular ROS and lessened its severe cytotoxicity. The protective effect delivered by L-NAC evidences that the mechanism of perezone-induced cytotoxicity is partially associated to production of ROS and a consequent induction of oxidative stress.
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Abstract The gorgonian Phyllogorgia dilatata Esper is an octocoral known to be source of biologically active terpenes. In this study, odoriferous compounds present in P. dilatata tissues were investigated, due to their exotic olfactory notes. The search of volatile compounds was performed in a dichloromethane/methanol extract submitted to a silica gel vacuum chromatography and HPLC, yielding the isomers (Z,E) and (E,E)-germacrones, identified by GC/MS, 1 and 2D NMR. The stereochemistry of (E,E)-germacrone, as well as its preferred conformation, was confirmed by NOESY. Sensory analysis of the two isomers revealed a fragrant, citrus, woody and weak marine odor, similar to the odor of the natural gorgonian, and (E,E)-germacrone has a three times more intense aroma than the (Z,E) isomer.
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This review reported the structural diversity and novelty of the secondary metabolites derived from eight marine corals in the south China sea. The structural patterns from eight coral species were summarized, in which 130 new compounds of a total of 155 derivatives were uncovered. Some of the secondary metabolites showed potent anti-fouling and anti-cancer activities. These findings ndicated that marine organisms can provide structurally unique compounds for further pharmacological evaluation.
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Transcriptomic studies of marine organisms are still in their infancy. A partial, subtracted expressed sequence tag (EST) library of the Caribbean octocoral Erythropodium caribaeorum and the sea fan Gorgonia ventalina has been analyzed in order to find novel genes or differences in gene expression related to potential secondary metabolite production or symbioses. This approach entails enrichment for potential non-housekeeping genes using the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. More than 500 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were generated after cloning SSH products, which yielded at least 53 orthologous groups of proteins (COGs) and Pfam clusters, including transcription factors (Drosophila Big Brother), catalases, reverse transcriptases, ferritins and various hypothetical protein sequences. A total of 591 EST sequences were deposited into GenBank [dbEST: FL512138 - FL512331, GH611838, and HO061755-HO062154]. The results represent proof of concept for enrichment of unique transcripts over housekeeping genes, such as actin or ribosomal genes, which comprised approximately 17 percent of the total dataset. Due to the gene and sequence diversity of some ESTs, such sequences can find utility as molecular markers in current and future studies of this species and other soft coral biogeography, chemical ecology, phylogenetics, and evolution.
Subject(s)
Animals , DNA, Complementary/analysis , DNA, Complementary/physiology , Anthozoa/genetics , Anthozoa/chemistry , /analysis , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methodsABSTRACT
Objective To find new compound from gorgonian.Methods Three ceramides have been isolated from the South China Sea gorgonian Echinogorgia sp.by silica gel column chromatography.Results Their structures were established as(2S,3S,4R)-N-[2-(1,3,4-trihydroxyicosan-2-yl)]-hexadecanamide(1),(2S,3S,4R)-N-[2-(1,3,4-trihydroxyicosan-2-yl)]-heptadecanamide(2),and(2S,3S,4R)-N-[2-(1,3,4-trihydroxyicosan-2-yl]-octadecanamide(3) by spectroscopic methods and chemical conversion.Conclusion It is the first time to report the three chemical compounds from coral Echinogorgia sp.and compound 2 is a new compound.
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Objective To investigate the chemical constituents of gorgonian Muriceides collaris. Methods The compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel column,Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and HPLC. Their chemical structures were identified by physicochemical analysis,spectroscopic analysis,and comparison with the data of literatures. Results From the CH3OH soluble extract of Muriceides collaris,nine compounds were isolated,and their structures were determined as cholesterol (1),batyl alcohol (2),benzoic acid (3),uracil (4),thymine (5),2'-deoxyuridine (6),2'-deoxythymidine (7),thymidine (8) and 2'-deoxyadenosine (9),respectively. Conclusion All compounds were obtained from the species Muriceides collaris for the first time.