Sequestration and Cyanobacterial Diet Preferences in the Opisthobranch Molluscs Dolabrifera nicaraguana and Stylocheilus rickettsi

Researchers have identified two novel depsipeptide compounds, veraguamide M and N, from the cyanobacterium cf. Lyngbya sp., which exhibit significant anti-parasitic activity against Plasmodium falciparum (malaria) and Leishmania donovani (visceral leishmaniasis). These compounds were found to be sequestered by two sea hare species, Dolabrifera nicaraguana and Stylocheilus rickettsi, highlighting the biotechnological potential of marine cyanobacteria. The study employed laboratory feeding preference assays to determine dietary preferences of D. nicaraguana, followed by bioactivity-guided fractionation to isolate and characterize the compounds. This marks the first discovery of such bioactive compounds in both sea hares and their cyanobacterial food source, underscoring the importance of chemical ecological studies in uncovering novel therapeutic agents.

Clark, K. E., Capper, A., Liu, W.-T., Fenner, A. M., Almanza, A., Della Togna, G., Herrera, L., Johns, T., Paul, V. J., Dorrestein, P. C., Capson, T. L., & Balunas, M. J. (2021). Sequestration and Cyanobacterial Diet Preferences in the Opisthobranch Molluscs Dolabrifera nicaraguana and Stylocheilus rickettsi. Frontiers in Marine Science, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.766282