title: Antifouling activity in some benthic Antarctic invertebrates by "in situ" experiments at Deception Island, Antarctica.
abstract: Competition for space is a remarkable ecological force, comparable to predation, producing a strong selective pressure on benthic invertebrates. Some invertebrates, thus, possess antimicrobial compounds to reduce surface bacterial growth. Antimicrobial inhibition is the first step in avoiding being overgrown by other organisms, which may have a negative impact in feeding, respiration, reproduction … The in situ inhibition of bacterial biofilm was used here as an indicator of antifouling activity by testing hydrophilic extracts of twelve Antarctic invertebrates. Using two different approaches (genetics and confocal techniques) different levels of activity were found in the tested organisms. In fact, differences within body parts of the studied organisms were determined, in agreement with the Optimal Defense Theory. Eight out of 15 extracts tested had negative effects on fouling after 28 days submerged in Antarctic waters. Thus, although chemical defenses may be quite species-specific in their ecological roles, these results suggest that different chemical strategies exist to deal with space competition.
authors: Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain; Biodiversity Research Institute (IrBIO), Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. Electronic address: carlospreckler@hotmail.com.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Angulo-Preckler
authors: Microbial Evolution Laboratory, Center of Astrobiology (CSIC-INTA), Ctra de Torrejón a Ajalvir, km 4, 28850 Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: cidsc@cab.inta-csic.es.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Cid
authors: Department of Statistic, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal, 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: foliva@ub.edu.
authors: Francesc
authors: F
authors: Oliva
authors: Department of Animal Biology (Invertebrates), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain; Biodiversity Research Institute (IrBIO), Diagonal, 643, 08028 Barcelona, Catalunya, Spain. Electronic address: conxita.avila@ub.edu.
authors: Conxita
authors: C
authors: Avila
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000864:Antarctic Regions; D018407:Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; D018441:Biofilms; D007448:Invertebrates / Q000737:chemistry*; D062312:Islands
keywords: Antibacterial activity; Biofouling; Chemical defenses; Confocal microscopy; Natural products