First Detection of Podocytes in the Circulatory System of Enigmatic Echiurids (Annelida: Thalassematidae).

The fine structure of echiurid blood vessels in the proboscis is known in detail, but the circulatory system of the trunk is still understood mainly at the level of general anatomy. The trunk circulatory system was studied in Bonellia viridis females, and specialized podocytes were found to form the walls of the ring vessel and the anterior part of the ventral vessel. Podocytes were for the first time described in the echiurid circulatory system. Podocytes of B. viridis displayed a typical cell architecture, which is known for other bilaterians. A podocyte consists of a cell body; primary processes; and pedicels, which extend from the primary processes and are interconnected via specialized slit diaphragms. The presence of podocytes indicates that the ventral and ring vessels act as ultrafiltration sites, where the plasma is filtered through the basal lamina into the body cavity.

Articulating the "stem cell niche" paradigm through the lens of non-model aquatic invertebrates.

Stem cells (SCs) in vertebrates typically reside in "stem cell niches" (SCNs), morphologically restricted tissue microenvironments that are important for SC survival and proliferation. SCNs are broadly defined by properties including physical location, but in contrast to vertebrates and other "model" organisms, aquatic invertebrate SCs do not have clearly documented niche outlines or properties. Life strategies such as regeneration or asexual reproduction may have conditioned the niche architectural variability in aquatic or marine animal groups. By both establishing the invertebrates SCNs as independent types, yet allowing inclusiveness among them, the comparative analysis will allow the future functional characterization of SCNs.

Secondary Metabolome Variability and Inducible Chemical Defenses in the Mediterranean Sponge Aplysina cavernicola.

Secondary metabolites play a crucial role in marine invertebrate chemical ecology. Thus, it is of great importance to understand factors regulating their production and sources of variability. This work aimed to study the variability of the bromotyrosine derivatives in the Mediterranean sponge Aplysina cavernicola, and also to better understand how biotic (reproductive state) and abiotic factors (seawater temperature) could partly explain this variability. Results showed that the A. cavernicola reproductive cycle has little effect on the variability of the sponges' secondary metabolism, whereas water temperature has a significant influence on the production level of secondary metabolites. Temporal variability analysis of the sponge methanolic extracts showed that bioactivity variability was related to the presence of the minor secondary metabolite dienone, which accounted for 50 % of the bioactivity observed. Further bioassays coupled to HPLC extract fractionation confirmed that dienone was the only compound from Aplysina alkaloids to display a strong bioactivity. Both dienone production and bioactivity showed a notable increase in October 2008, after a late-summer warming episode, indicating that A. cavernicola might be able to induce chemical changes to cope with environmental stressors.

Diversity and biological activities of the bacterial community associated with the marine sponge Phorbas tenacior (Porifera, Demospongiae).

UNLABELLED: The diversity of the cultivable microbiota of the marine sponge Phorbas tenacior frequently found in the Mediterranean Sea was investigated, and its potential as a source of antimicrobial, antioxidant and antiplasmodial compounds was evaluated. The cultivable bacterial community was studied by isolation, cultivation and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Twenty-three bacterial strains were isolated and identified in the Proteobacteria (α or γ classes) and Actinobacteria phyla. Furthermore, three different bacterial morphotypes localized extracellularly within the sponge tissues were revealed by microscopic observations. Bacterial strains were assigned to seven different genera, namely Vibrio, Photobacterium, Shewanella, Pseudomonas, Ruegeria, Pseudovibrio and Citricoccus. The strains affiliated to the same genus were differentiated according to their genetic dissimilarities using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses. Eleven bacterial strains were selected for evaluation of their bioactivities. Three isolates Pseudovibrio P1Ma4, Vibrio P1MaNal1 and Citricoccus P1S7 revealed antimicrobial activity; Citricoccus P1S7 and Vibrio P1MaNal1 isolates also exhibited antiplasmodial activity, while two Vibrio isolates P1Ma8 and P1Ma5 displayed antioxidant activity. These data confirmed the importance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria associated with marine sponges as a reservoir of bioactive compounds. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study presents the first report on the diversity of the cultivable bacteria associated with the marine sponge Phorbas tenacior, frequently found in the Mediterranean Sea. Evaluation of the antiplasmodial, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the isolates has been investigated and allowed to select bacterial strains, confirming the importance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria as sources of bioactive compounds.

Three-dimensional chitin-based scaffolds from Verongida sponges (Demospongiae: Porifera). Part II: Biomimetic potential and applications.

In order to evaluate the biomedical potential of three-dimensional chitinous scaffolds of poriferan origin, chondrocyte culturing experiments were performed. It was shown for the first time that freshly isolated chondrocytes attached well to the chitin scaffold and synthesized an extracellular matrix similar to that found in other cartilage tissue engineering constructs. Chitin scaffolds also supported deposition of a proteoglycan-rich extracellular matrix of chondrocytes seeded bioconstructs in an in vivo environment. We suggest that chitin sponge scaffolds, apart from the demonstrated biomedical applications, are highly optimized structures for use as filtering systems, templates for biomineralization as well as metallization in order to produce catalysts.

Three-dimensional chitin-based scaffolds from Verongida sponges (Demospongiae: Porifera). Part I. Isolation and identification of chitin.

Marine invertebrate organisms including sponges (Porifera) not only provide an abundant source of biologically active secondary metabolites but also inspire investigations to develop biomimetic composites, scaffolds and templates for practical use in materials science, biomedicine and tissue engineering. Here, we presented a detailed study of the structural and physico-chemical properties of three-dimensional skeletal scaffolds of the marine sponges Aiolochroia crassa, Aplysina aerophoba, A. cauliformis, A. cavernicola, and A. fulva (Verongida: Demospongiae). We show that these fibrous scaffolds have a multilayered design and are made of chitin. (13)C solid-state NMR spectroscopy, NEXAFS, and IR spectroscopy as well as chitinase digestion and test were applied in order to unequivocally prove the existence of alpha-chitin in all investigated species.

Reproduction cycles and strategies of the cold-water sponges Halisarca dujardini (Demospongiae, Halisarcida), Myxilla incrustans and Iophon piceus (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida) from the White Sea.

The reproductive development of the Demospongiae species Halisarca dujardini (Halisarcida), Myxilla incrustans and Iophon piceus (Poecilosclerida) from Chupa Inlet (Kandalaksha Bay, the White Sea) was studied histologically during 1982-1994 and 1997. These species are all viviparous. Halisarca dujardini inhabits shallow waters (1.5-5 m); M. incrustans and I. piceus are common in a more stable environment at depths between 15 and 25 m. Initiation of sexual reproduction stages is dependent upon water temperature. Reproductive effort is low in Myxilla incrustans and I. piceus (reproductive elements contribute 7.3% and 12% of maternal tissue volume respectively), but much higher in H. dujardini (up to 69% of the parental tissue volume). Reproduction leads to localized destruction of maternal tissue for M. incrustans and I. piceus and complete disorder of central and basal parts of the choanosoma of H. dujardini after each period of reproduction. Myxilla incrustans and I. piceus reproduce throughout the hydrological summer, but reproduction in H. dujardini is restricted to 3 weeks. The average life span of M. incrustans and I. piceus is more than 4 years, and that of H. dujardini is about 7-12 months. The data suggest that M. incrustans and I. piceus are K-strategists, whereas H. dujardini is an r-strategist.