ibclogo XVI International Botanical Congess

Abstract Number: 3286
Poster No. = 1965


CHEMICAL DEFENSES AGAINST DIATOMS IN ANTARCTIC MARINE MACROALGAE AND SPONGES


CD Amsler, JB McClintock, DM Landry, NR Estes, KB Iken, and BJ Baker*. Dept of Biology, Univ of Alabama at Birmingham 35124 USA and * Dept of Chemistry, Florida Tech, Melbourne FL 32901 USA


Lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts of marine macroalgae and sponges were assayed for cytotoxicity against epibiotic diatoms. All species were from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. To identify compounds potentially released as defenses against diatom biofouling, only fractions of crude extracts that were soluble in seawater or 2%-MeOH seawater were assayed. Significant bioactivity was present in both lipophilic and hydrophilic extracts of the macroalgae Phyllophora antarctica and Iridaea cordata and in lipophilic and/or hydrophilic extracts of seven sponge species. Chemical characterizations of the bioactive components are being conducted. Supported by NSF awards OPP-9530735 and OPP-9526610.

HTML-Version made 7. July 1999 by Kurt Stüber