title: Cellular location of (2R, 3R, 7Z)-2-aminotetradec-7-ene-1, 3-diol, a potent antimicrobial metabolite produced by the Caribbean sponge Haliclona vansoesti.
abstract: The Caribbean sponge Haliclona vansoesti has been found to contain large amounts of a new sphingosine derivative, (2R, 3R, 7Z)-2-aminotetradec-7-ene-1, 3-diol (compound 1). To determine the localization of this compound within the organism, cell distribution and quantitative determination of the aminodiol content of cell fractions obtained by differential centrifugation have been performed. Results show that choanocytes and archaeocytes are the major sponge cell types and that H. vansoesti harbour small photosynthetic symbionts (cyanobacteria) and few heterotrophic bacteria. Reverse-phase HPLC analyses of the cell fractions reveal that the aminodiol 1 is not associated with the prokaryotic endobionts but with the sponge cells, in particular the archaeocytes. This is clearly established by the positive significant correlation existing between the numbers of archaeocytes and the amounts of aminodiol 1. The mean aminodiol concentration is estimated to be 2 microg/10(5) archaeocytes. The aminodiol 1 is also found in substantial amounts in primary cell cultures, so that cell culture can be envisaged as an option for its production. Sponge cell suspensions display potent antibacterial and antiyeast activities, in correlation with their aminodiol content, indicating that this compound is at least in part responsible for these activities in the sponge. The release of the aminodiol I into the external medium suggests that this substance may be involved in the defence mechanisms of the sponge.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular Physiology, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium. emaurer@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Richelle-Maurer
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Braekman
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: De Kluijver
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van de Vyver
authors.forename: R W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Van Soest
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Devijver
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001681:Biological Assay; D002469:Cell Separation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D011161:Porifera / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: C413037:2-aminotetradec-7-ene-1,3-diol; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013110:Sphingosine