Chemical Marine Ecology

合成有机化学项目支持夏威夷大学马诺阿分校化学系的保罗·j·舒尔博士的研究。这项研究将继续研究海洋生物在相互作用中使用的化学通讯系统。这些研究将帮助我们更好地了解我们对海洋环境的影响。将继续对海绵中氰化物离子的来源和萜烯生物合成途径进行研究，以生产异氰萜。将对ciocypta sp.和棘皮藻sp.进行游离氨基酸和标记非晶烷制备的分析，以进行掺入实验。无细胞提取液将继续作为选择的方法。其他的生物合成实验计划追踪生物碱的来源，在一种被膜动物，trididemum sp.中。裸鳃虫phestila sibogae的幼虫的变态是由裸鳃虫的猎物，石珊瑚Porites compressa精心制作的一种物质诱导的。将继续与M. G.哈德菲尔德教授和他的研究小组合作，分离、纯化和表征诱导剂。特定的捕食者-猎物关系在珊瑚礁无脊椎动物中很常见。许多这类系统的分子基础现已为人所知。然而，提供最初吸引力和/或喂食刺激的物质是未知的。这些问题将在海绵-裸枝对脆弱的芽孢霉-浅孢霉的研究中得到解决。

The Synthetic Organic Chemistry Program is supporting the research of Dr. Paul J. Scheuer of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This research will continue the studies of the chemical communication system used by marine organisms in their interactions with each other. These studies will help us to understand better our impact on the marine environment. Investigation will continue into the source of cyanide ion and into the pathways of terpene biosynthesis for the production of isocyanoterpenes in sponges. Ciocalypta sp. and Acanthella sp. will be analyzed for free amino acids and labelled amorphane prepared to carry out incorporation experiments. Cell-free extracts will continue as the method of choice. Other biosynthesis experiments are planned to trace the origin of the alkaloid, shermilamine A, in a tunicate, Trididemnum sp. Metamorphosis of larvae of the nudibranch Phestilla sibogae is induced by a substance elaborated by the prey of the nudibranch, the stony coral Porites compressa. Attempts to isolate, purify, and characterize the inducer will be continued in a collaborative effort with Professor M. G. Hadfield and his research group. Specific predator-prey relationships are common among coral reef invertebrates. The molecular basis of a number of these systems is now known. However the substance(s) which provide the initial attraction and/or the feeding stimuli are unknown. These questions will be addressed with the sponge-nudibranch pair Dysidea fragilis-Hypselodoris infucata.