Deep-Sea Sponges and Corals off the Western Coast of Florida—Intracellular Mechanisms of Action of Bioactive Compounds and Technological Advances Supporting the Drug Discovery Pipeline

Mina Iskandar; Kira M. Ruiz-Houston; Steven D. Bracco; Sami R. Sharkasi; Cecilia L. Calabi Villarroel; Meghna N. Desai; Alexandra G. Gerges; Natalia A. Ortiz Lopez; Miguel Xiao Barbero; Amelia A. German; Vinoothna S. Moluguri; Selina M. Walker; Juliana Silva Higashi; Justin M. Palma; Daena Z. Medina; Miit Patel; Prachi Patel; Michaela Valentin; Angelica C. Diaz; Jonathan P. Karthaka; Atzin D. Santiago; Riley B. Skiles; Luis A. Romero Umana; Maxwell D. Ungrey; Anya Wojtkowiak; Domenica V. Howard; Remy Nurge; Katharine G. Woods; Meera Nanjundan

doi:10.3390/md21120615

Marine Drugs (Nov 2023)

Deep-Sea Sponges and Corals off the Western Coast of Florida—Intracellular Mechanisms of Action of Bioactive Compounds and Technological Advances Supporting the Drug Discovery Pipeline

Mina Iskandar,
Kira M. Ruiz-Houston,
Steven D. Bracco,
Sami R. Sharkasi,
Cecilia L. Calabi Villarroel,
Meghna N. Desai,
Alexandra G. Gerges,
Natalia A. Ortiz Lopez,
Miguel Xiao Barbero,
Amelia A. German,
Vinoothna S. Moluguri,
Selina M. Walker,
Juliana Silva Higashi,
Justin M. Palma,
Daena Z. Medina,
Miit Patel,
Prachi Patel,
Michaela Valentin,
Angelica C. Diaz,
Jonathan P. Karthaka,
Atzin D. Santiago,
Riley B. Skiles,
Luis A. Romero Umana,
Maxwell D. Ungrey,
Anya Wojtkowiak,
Domenica V. Howard,
Remy Nurge,
Katharine G. Woods,
Meera Nanjundan

Affiliations

Mina Iskandar: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Kira M. Ruiz-Houston: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Steven D. Bracco: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Sami R. Sharkasi: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Cecilia L. Calabi Villarroel: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Meghna N. Desai: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Alexandra G. Gerges: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Natalia A. Ortiz Lopez: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Miguel Xiao Barbero: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Amelia A. German: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Vinoothna S. Moluguri: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Selina M. Walker: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Juliana Silva Higashi: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Justin M. Palma: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Daena Z. Medina: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Miit Patel: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Prachi Patel: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Michaela Valentin: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Angelica C. Diaz: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Jonathan P. Karthaka: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Atzin D. Santiago: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Riley B. Skiles: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Luis A. Romero Umana: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Maxwell D. Ungrey: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Anya Wojtkowiak: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Domenica V. Howard: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Remy Nurge: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Katharine G. Woods: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
Meera Nanjundan: Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, ISA2015, Tampa, FL 33620, USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/md21120615
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 21, no. 12
p. 615

Abstract

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The majority of natural products utilized to treat a diverse array of human conditions and diseases are derived from terrestrial sources. In recent years, marine ecosystems have proven to be a valuable resource of diverse natural products that are generated to defend and support their growth. Such marine sources offer a large opportunity for the identification of novel compounds that may guide the future development of new drugs and therapies. Using the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) portal, we explore deep-sea coral and sponge species inhabiting a segment of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone, specifically off the western coast of Florida. This area spans ~100,000 km2, containing coral and sponge species at sea depths up to 3000 m. Utilizing PubMed, we uncovered current knowledge on and gaps across a subset of these sessile organisms with regards to their natural products and mechanisms of altering cytoskeleton, protein trafficking, and signaling pathways. Since the exploitation of such marine organisms could disrupt the marine ecosystem leading to supply issues that would limit the quantities of bioactive compounds, we surveyed methods and technological advances that are necessary for sustaining the drug discovery pipeline including in vitro aquaculture systems and preserving our natural ecological community in the future. Collectively, our efforts establish the foundation for supporting future research on the identification of marine-based natural products and their mechanism of action to develop novel drugs and therapies for improving treatment regimens of human conditions and diseases.

Published in Marine Drugs

ISSN: 1660-3397 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Science: Biology (General)
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/marinedrugs

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