Sponge secondary metabolites: biochemical and ultrastructural localization of the antimitotic agent avarol in Dysidea avara. | Zendy

Wernér E.G. Müller | Zendy; B Diehl-Seifert | Zendy; C. Sobel | Zendy; A. Bechtold | Zendy; Zlatko Kljajić | Zendy; A. Dorn | Zendy

Open Access

Sponge secondary metabolites: biochemical and ultrastructural localization of the antimitotic agent avarol in Dysidea avara.

Author(s) -

Wernér E.G. Müller,

B Diehl-Seifert,

C. Sobel,

A. Bechtold,

Zlatko Kljajić,

A. Dorn

Publication year - 1986

Publication title -

journal of histochemistry and cytochemistry

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.971

H-Index - 124

eISSN - 1551-5044

pISSN - 0022-1554

DOI - 10.1177/34.12.3782777

Subject(s) - sponge , biology , metabolite , ultrastructure , biochemistry , secondary metabolite , cytoplasm , bacteria , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , botany , genetics , gene

The secondary metabolite avarol, a potent cytostatic and antibacterial sesquiterpenoid hydroquinone, is present in large amounts only in the sponge Dysidea avara (2.7 g avarol/1 kg of fresh material). The present study was designed to determine the storage site of this compound within the organism. Light and transmission electron microscopic studies revealed that avarol is probably stored only in spherular cells. The compound is compartmented in intracellular cytoplasmic vesicles in a paracrystalline form, and therefore can have no inhibitory effect on the sponge cells. Quantitative analysis utilizing high-pressure liquid chromatography revealed that avarol is present at a concentration of 3.2 micrograms/10(6) spherular cells. It appears that avarol is released from the cells into the extracellular space in a merocrine manner. We suggest that it is involved in regulating the bacteria with which the sponge is symbiotically associated.

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