Isolation of the β-galactosphingolipid coniferoside using a tumor cell proteome reverse affinity protocol

New approaches are vital to the development of marine natural products (MNP) as therapeutic leads. One of the more time consuming aspects of MNP research arises in the connection between structure and function. Here, we describe an isolation protocol that adapts tumor cell proteomes as a vehicle for MNP isolation therein uniting structural and functional analysis. Application of this method to extracts of the sponge Agelas conifera led to the isolation of a unique poly-hydroxybutyrated β-galactosphingolipid, coniferoside.