Screening and molecular identification of marine sponges with cytotoxic activities, collected from Gulf of Mannar, Indian Ocean

The marine environment, a rich source of biological and chemical diversity, offers tremendous scope for discovering novel metabolites with pharmacological activities. Marine invertebrates, especially sponges, have gained more attention in drug discovery programmes since they exhibit unique metabolic and physiological capabilities and an extraordinarily symbiotic association with diverse bacterial communities. The present study focuses on screening the cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extracts of sponges against the Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) cell line, NCI-H460. In the bioactivity screening, two sponges (IOS-11 and IOS-12) were found with potent cytotoxic activity. The sponge IOS-12 showed almost complete cell growth inhibition (99 %) at 50 µg/ml and 80 % inhibition at 5 µg/ml; whereas IOS-11 showed cell growth inhibition of 96 % and 77 % at 50 µg/ml and at 5 µg/ml, respectively. Amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) and subsequent nucleotide analysis enabled the identification of sponge samples, IOS-11 and IOS-12, as Rhabdastrella globostellata and Halichondria sp., respectively. The study concludes that the two marine sponges, Rhabdastrella globostellata and Halichondria sp., possess excellent cytotoxic activities and could be considered good candidates for the isolation of anticancer compounds with biomedical applications. The isolation, purification and structural elucidation of the lead molecules from these sponges are ongoing studies, which might yield potential new compounds with promising cytotoxic activities

Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 15

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of three vascular plants are presented according to IUCN categories and criteria. It includes the assessment of Oryza rhizomatis D.A.Vaughan and Saxifraga facchinii W.D.J.Koch at a global level and Helianthemum caput-felis Boiss. at a regional level

A marine candida sake as source of immunostimulants to fenneropenaeus indicus

Aquaculture has developed rapidly over the last three decades to become an important activity worldwide.The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the UN acknowledge that global fishery output must be increased by at least 50% to offset projected shortfalls in dietary protein by 2030.LAquaculture has developed rapidly over the last three decades and has become an importat industry as today’s demand for fish exceeds the natural supply.lmmunostimulants are chemical compounds that activate the immune system of animals and render them more resistant to infections by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. lmmunostimulants have been obtained from diverse natural sources where, microbial cell wall acts as the main source.The salient findings of the study are summariseSeven marine yeasts were screened for growth promoting and immunostimulant property in F. indicus. Candida sake S165 was found to be best in terms of its support for growth and protection against white spot virus infection.The study revealed that marine yeast Candida sake can be effectively used as potential source of immunostimulants for application in penaeid prawns culture systems. The study emphasise the fact that the dose and frequency of application of immunostimulants are to be standardised and validated before commercialisation to achieve optimum stimulation of the immune system and to avoid immune fatigue die to verdose.Marine yeast (whole cell) was found to support better immunostimulation compared to its cell wall component B-1,3-glucan. This study shows that administration of marine yeast (whole cell) or B-1,3-glucan as immunostimulants in aquaculture would definitely help in protection of the stock to a few more days even though total protection is not being imparted. This partial protection itself would be highly helpful to the farming industry so that they can get sufficient time to plan for a safe harvest and save the crop from cent percent mortality.Cochin University of Science and TechnologyDepartment of Marine Biology, Microbiology and Biochemistry, School of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technolog

Dose/frequency: A critical factor in the administration of glucan as immunostimulant to Indian white shrimp Fenneropenaeus indicus

The immunostimulatory effect of an alkali insoluble glucan extracted from marine yeast isolate Candida sake S165 was tested in Fenneropenaeus indicus. Post larvae (PL) of F. indicus, fed glucan incorporated diet at varying concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 g glucan/100 g feed) for 21 days were challenged orally with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Maximum survival was observed in PL fed the 0.2% glucan incorporated diet. Subsequently the feed incorporated with 0.2% glucan was fed to F. indicus post larvae at different feeding intervals, i.e. daily, once every two days, once every five days, once every seven days and once every ten days. After 40 days, the prawns were challenged orally with WSSV and post challenge survival was recorded. Shrimp feed containing 0.2% glucan when administered once every seven days gave maximum survival. This was supported by haematological data obtained from adult F. indicus, i.e. total haemocyte count, phenoloxidase activity and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction (NBT). The present observation confirms the importance of dose and frequency of administration of immunostimulants in shrimp health managementCochin University of Science and TechnologyAquaculture 287 (2009) 248–25

Immunostimulatory effect of a marine yeast Candida sake S165 in Fenneropenaeus indicus

The efficacy of a marine yeast Candida sake as source of immunostimulant to Indian white shrimp Fenneropenaeus indicus was estimated. Biomass of C. sake was prepared using malt extract agar and incorporated at graded levels into a standard diet to prepare yeast diets of varying biomass concentrations (1%, 10% and 20%). F. indicus were fed on these diets for a period of 28 days and challenged orally with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and immune parameters such as total haemocyte count, phenoloxidase and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction (NBT) were determined. Ten per cent C. sake in the diet was found to support an optimum immune response in the animals in general and their enhancement could be observed on the second and third day following challenge with the virus. The study has demonstrated that marine yeast C. sake at 10% in diet (w/w) may be used as an effective source of immunostimulants in F. indicusCochin University of Science and TechnologyAquaculture 257 (2006) 150–15