Marine Biotech Fellowship: Natural Products from Common Shallow-water Soft Corals of Guam: Reproductive Considerations

9321533 Slattery拟议的研究项目将利用分析化学技术来评估次生代谢物和类固醇在关岛软珊瑚Lobophytum spp.、Sarcophyton spp.、Sinularia spp.和Stereonephthya spp.繁殖中的重要性。这是一个正在进行的项目的延续，该项目已经确定并研究了次生代谢物、有机提取物和形态防御在软珊瑚捕食者威慑中的重要性。本研究将在上述计划的基础上进行扩展，以提取、分离和确定成年菌落及其卵中新的次级代谢物的结构。这些化合物浓度的时间变化将与生殖指数相关联，以评估化合物在成熟和产卵中的作用。将进行标准的生物测定，以指导分离天然产物的卵子释放、精子趋化性和饲养威慑。在这个项目中发现的新化合物将在一个不断增长的代谢物数据库中进行扩展，这些代谢物可以用作化学分类标记，并将被纳入现有的药理学计划。此外，这个项目将有助于深入了解关岛周围浅礁上常见软珊瑚的生殖生物学和化学生态学。＊＊＊

9321533 Slattery The proposed research program will utilize analytical chemistry techniques to evaluate the importance of secondary metabolites and steroids in reproduction of the soft corals Lobophytum spp., Sarcophyton spp., Sinularia spp., and Stereonephthya spp. from Guam. It is a continuation of an ongoing project which has identified and examined the importance of secondary metabolites, organic extracts, and morphological defenses in soft coral predator deterrence. This research will expand upon the aforementioned program to extract, isolate, and determine the structures of new secondary metabolites in adult colonies and their eggs. Temporal changes in concentrations of these compounds will be correlated with reproductive indices to assess the role of the compounds in maturation and spawning. Standard bioassays will be conducted to guide isolation natural products in egg release, sperm chemotaxis, and feeding deterrence. Novel compounds identified in this project will expand upon a growing database of metabolites that can be used as chemotaxonomic markers and will be incorporated into existing pharmacological programs. Furthermore, this project will contribute significant insights into the reproductive biology and chemical ecology of the common soft corals on the shallow reefs surrounding Guam. ***