VPW: Chemical Studies of Natural Inducers of Larval Settlement and Metamorphosis in Tropical Marine Invertebrates

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The research involves the chemical characterization of natural inducers of larval settlement and metamorphosis in several species of marine invertebrates. The goal is to isolate and characterize the active molecules that function as natural inducers. Natural inducers will be studied for the nudibranch Phestilla sibogae (Opisthobranchia: Nudibranchia) that specializes on Porites corals; the tube-building polychaete worm Hydroides elegans, a ubiquitous fouling organism that settles in response to chemical cues from microbial films; and the herbivorous sea hares Stylocheilus longicauda, Aplysia juliana and Aplysia parvula (Opisthobranchia: Anaspidea) that specialize on certain seaweeds. Isolation of active compounds will be carried out by chromatographic separations of active extracts with subsequent bioassays of larval settlement to determine which fractions induce settlement and metamorphosis. Once purified, NMR and other spectroscopic methods will be used to elucidate the structures of active inducers. This approach to isolating and elucidating the structures of natural inducers will work best for relatively small organic molecules or peptides, and may require modification to use chemical or enzymatic degradation techniques if inducers are proteins or other large macromolecules. Understanding the chemical nature of specific cues for settlement and metamorphosis of marine invertebrate larvae is important for different fields including developmental biology, marine benthic community ecology, and aquaculture. Interactive activities include developing and teaching a graduate course in Chemical Ecology and a graduate seminar in Marine Chemical Ecology at the University of Hawaii Department of Zoology; participating in Natural Products Chemistry and Organic seminar courses at the University of Hawaii Department of Chemistry; and mentoring undergraduate students and interacting with graduate students and postdoctoral researchers at the Kewalo Marine Laboratory and the Zoology and Chemistry Departments at the University of Hawaii.