Microbial communities and bioactive compounds in marine sponges of the family irciniidae-a review.

ABSTRACT: Marine sponges harbour complex microbial communities of ecological and biotechnological importance. Here, we propose the application of the widespread sponge family Irciniidae as an appropriate model in microbiology and biochemistry research. Half a gram of one Irciniidae specimen hosts hundreds of bacterial species-the vast majority of which are difficult to cultivate-and dozens of fungal and archaeal species. The structure of these symbiont assemblages is shaped by the sponge host and is highly stable over space and time. Two types of quorum-sensing molecules have been detected in these animals, hinting at microbe-microbe and host-microbe signalling being important processes governing the dynamics of the Irciniidae holobiont. Irciniids are vulnerable to disease outbreaks, and concerns ha

SUBMITTER: Hardoim CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4210886 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature