'Candidatus Endobugula sertula' is a symbiotic bacteria of Bugula neritinathat produces compounds known as bryostatins (Davidson et. al., 2001) which serve as chemical defense (via unpalatable taste) during larval stage of B. neritinaas they are not yet protected by a chitinous cuticle (Lindqist and Hay, 1996).Bryostatins are also studied for potential to treat Alzheimer's disease and some cancers (Kraft et. al., 1986, Parkinson et. al., 1994, Sun and Alkon 2005, 2006, Kuzirian et. al., 2006) . The localization of bryostatins and E. sertula during broodingshow that the symbiosis allows for delivery of the bryostatins and symbiont to ovicells and leads to implications for biochemical mechanisms of regulating symbiont growth and production of compounds. Researching those mechanisms will allow for better cultivation of E. sertula, which has proved to be diffcult in the lab, as well as improved understanding of host-microbe interactions(Sharp et. al., 2007).
Bugula neritina (commonly known as brown bryozoan or common bugula) is a cryptic species complex of sessile marine animal in the genus Bugula.[2]
It is invasive with a cosmopolitan distribution.[1]
Bugula neritina is of interest from a drug discovery perspective because its bacterial symbiont, Candidatus Endobugula sertula,[3] produces the bryostatins, a group of around twenty bioactive natural products. The bryostatins are under investigation for their therapeutic potential directed at cancer immunotherapy,[4][5] treatment of Alzheimer's disease,[5][6] and HIV/AIDS eradication,[7] due to their low toxicity and antineoplastic activity.[8]
The draft whole genome of Bugula neritina has recently been sequenced.[9] This adds to the growing number of genomes on the total list of sequenced animal genomes.
Bugula neritina is also of interest in materials science, where it is used as a model organism in biofouling studies.[10]
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) Bugula neritina (commonly known as brown bryozoan or common bugula) is a cryptic species complex of sessile marine animal in the genus Bugula.
It is invasive with a cosmopolitan distribution.
Bugula neritina is of interest from a drug discovery perspective because its bacterial symbiont, Candidatus Endobugula sertula, produces the bryostatins, a group of around twenty bioactive natural products. The bryostatins are under investigation for their therapeutic potential directed at cancer immunotherapy, treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and HIV/AIDS eradication, due to their low toxicity and antineoplastic activity.
The draft whole genome of Bugula neritina has recently been sequenced. This adds to the growing number of genomes on the total list of sequenced animal genomes.
Bugula neritina is also of interest in materials science, where it is used as a model organism in biofouling studies.
