title: Antimicrobial activity of Antarctic bryozoans: an ecological perspective with potential for clinical applications.
abstract: The antimicrobial activity of Antarctic bryozoans and the ecological functions of the chemical compounds involved remain largely unknown. To determine the significant ecological and applied antimicrobial effects, 16 ether and 16 butanol extracts obtained from 13 different bryozoan species were tested against six Antarctic (including Psychrobacter luti, Shewanella livingstonensis and 4 new isolated strains) and two bacterial strains from culture collections (Escherichia coli and Bacillus cereus). Results from the bioassays reveal that all ether extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against some bacteria. Only one butanol extract produced inhibition, indicating that antimicrobial compounds are mainly lipophilic. Ether extracts of the genus Camptoplites inhibited the majority of bacterial strains, thus indicating a broad-spectrum of antimicrobial activity. Moreover, most ether extracts presented activities against bacterial strains from culture collections, suggesting the potential use of these extracts as antimicrobial drugs against pathogenic bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates) and Biodiversity Research Institute (IrBIO), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. Electronic address: bfiguerola@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Blanca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Figuerola
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sala-Comorera
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates) and Biodiversity Research Institute (IrBIO), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Angulo-Preckler
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates) and Biodiversity Research Institute (IrBIO), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vázquez
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jesús Montes
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: García-Aljaro
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mercadé
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: Anicet R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Blanch
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates) and Biodiversity Research Institute (IrBIO), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain.
authors.forename: Conxita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avila
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002013:Bryozoa / Q000378:metabolism*; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D045424:Complex Mixtures
keywords: Antifouling; Chemical defences; Chemical ecology; Marine benthos; Polar biology