• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.254-264
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• 2001

Sponges are host organisms for various symbiotic microorganisms such as archaea, bacteria, cyano-bacteria and microalgae. Sponges are also sources of a wide variety of useful natural products like cyto-toxins. antifouling agents, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory and antiviral compounds, Symbiotic microorganisms is sponges can be sources of various natural products, because metabolites previously ascribed to sponges have recently been demonstrated to be biosynthesized by symbionts. If a symbiotic microorganisms from which some natural products are derived can be cultured, the microorganism could be used in a mass production of the bioactive comopounds. We summarize recent research on iso-lation and cultivation of sponge-symbiotic microorganisms and the symbiotic relationship.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.17-37
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• 1994

Among areas in Korea, Cheju Island and its vicinity are inhabited by the most diverse sponges , and a number of species have been recorded as new to science or new to Korean founa, Forty species of sponges belonging to 29 genera in 21 families were identified as a result of research based on the materials deposited in the Department of Biology, Hannam University and the Department of Biology. Ehwa Woman's University. These species had been collected in Cheju Island and its vicinity. Three species are known to be new to science, and nine other species discovered for the first time from Korea. The new species are described with detailied illustrations, and for the new records for Korea the remarks and illustrations are prepared.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.43-57
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• 2008

A taxonomic study on the marine sponges was conducted with materials collected from intertidal zone of Sourthern California (USA) during 2005-2006. They were identified into 13 species belonging to 12 genera, nine families, and seven orders in one class. Among them, common species in Korea and California coastal areas are; Cliona celata, Lissodendoryx firma, Halichondria panicea, Hymeniacidon sinapium.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.219-228
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• 1998

The sponge specimens were collected from Geojedo Island, Korea During from 1994 to 1998 with fishing nets or by scuba divers. They were identified into 34 species of 25 genera in 15 families, of which the one species, Tedania rhoi is a new speices, and Clathria (Axociella) simae is new to the Korean fauna. This species were redescribed.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.153-168
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• 2006

A taxonomic study on the marine sponges was conducted with the materials collected from Chujado Island, Korea during the period June 2001 to May 2005 by SCUBA and hands. They were classified into 63 species, 31 genera, 25 families, seven orders in a class. Among them, Antho (Arcania) manarensis Carter, 1880 and Eurypon lendenfeldi Hentschel, 1912 were newly added to Korean Fauna. Two species, Biemna chujaensis and B. jeolmyongensis, were new to science.

• Journal of Marine Bioscience and Biotechnology
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.225-231
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• 2006

The secondary metabolites from Taiwanese marine soft corals and sponges have attracted much attention because they possess considerable potential biological activities. To explore the origin of bioactivity, many cytotoxic natural products were isolated and characterized in the past few years. For examples, The lipophilic extracts from marine sponges Petrosia elastica and Ircinia formosana were found active against several human tumor cells. The investigation of the gorgonian Junceela has also resulted in the discovery of a series of new juncenolides. Bioassay-directed fractionation of Clavularia viridis yielded seven new prostanoids. These compounds have been tested and evaluated as potential antitumor agents. The soft corals of the genus Cespitularia produced novel secondary metabolites with diverse chemical structures and interesting biological activities. Four new norditerpenoids, designated cespitulactones and cespihypotins were isolated from Cespitularia hypotentaculata. Cespitulactones are novel structures having a bond cleavage between C-10 and C-11. In addition, three novel diterpenes were isolated from C. taeniata and designated cespitulactams A, B and C having a phenylethyl amino side chain.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.347-362
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• 2016

Marine sponges have been considered as a drug treasure house with respect to great potential regarding their secondary metabolites. Most of the studies have been conducted on sponge's derived compounds to examine its pharmacological properties. Such compounds proved to have antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antimalarial, antitumor, immunosuppressive, and cardiovascular activity. Although, the mode of action of many compounds by which they interfere with human pathogenesis have not been clear till now, in this review not only the capability of the medicinal substances have been examined in vitro and in vivo against serious pathogenic microbes but, the mode of actions of medicinal compounds were explained with diagrammatic illustrations. This knowledge is one of the basic components to be known especially for transforming medicinal molecules to medicines. Sponges produce a different kind of chemical substances with numerous carbon skeletons, which have been found to be the main component interfering with human pathogenesis at different sites. The fact that different diseases have the capability to fight at different sites inside the body can increase the chances to produce targeted medicines.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.170-176
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• 2009

Culture-independent 16S rDNA-DGGE profiling and phylogenetic analysis were used to examine the predominant bacterial communities associated with the two sponges, Dictyonella sp. and Spirastrella abata from Jeju island. The culture-independent approach involved extraction of total bacterial DNA, PCR amplification of the 16S ribosomal DNA using primer pair 341f-GC and 518r, and separation of the amplicons on a denaturing gradient gel. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis banding patterns indicated 8 and 7 bands from the two sponge species, Dictyonella sp. and Spirastrella abata, respectively. There were not common major bands in two different sponges. Comparative sequence analysis of variable DGGE bands revealed from 93% to 98% similarity to the known published sequences. The dominant bacterial group of Dictyonella sp. belonged to uncultured Gammaproteobacteria, while, that of Spirastrella abata belonged to uncultured Alphaproeobacteria and Firmicutes. DGGE analysis indicated predominant communities of the sponge-associated bacteria differ in the two sponges from the same geographical location. This result revealed that bacterial community profiles of the sponges were host species-specific.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.255-261
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• 2010

The bacterial community structure associated with two marine sponges, Hyrtios sp. 604 and Callyspongia sp. 612 collected from the South Pacific Ocean were analyzed by 16S rDNA-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The phylogenetic analysis showed that the bacterial community associated with Hyrtios sp. 604 contained diverse bacterial groups such as Chloroflexi, Firmicutes, Cyanobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria. Callyspongia sp. 612 harbored Chloroflexi, Cyanobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria. Hyrtios sp. 604 belonging to genus Hyrtios known to produce natural products showed greater bacterial diversity than Callyspongia sp. 612. Phylum Actinobacteria was shown to be one of dominant bacterial groups in Hyrtios sp. 604. Although the same phyla of bacteria were found in both sponge species, the spongeassociated predominant bacterial groups differed between the two sponges with different chemical characteristics from the same geographical location. Uncultured bacteria represented over 90% of the bacteria diversity present in all bacterial communities of the sponges.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2004

A taxonomic study on the marine sponges was conducted with material collected by SCUBA diving from Ulleungdo Island, Korea during July 2001 to August 2003. They were identified 19 species belonging to 14 genera in 12 families of six orders in two classes identified. Among them, Haliclona (Reniera) permollisimilis Hoshino, 1981 is newly recorded to the Korean fauna and Geodia ulleungensis n. sp. is new to science.