Meroterpenes from marine invertebrates: structures, occurrence, and ecological implications

Area of Science:

• Marine natural products chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Meroterpenes are secondary metabolites found across diverse marine organisms.
• Brown algae are known sources, but marine invertebrates also yield significant meroterpene diversity.
• Understanding these compounds is crucial for discovering novel bioactive molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the structures and bioactivities of meroterpenes isolated from marine invertebrates.
• To highlight the complexity and unique skeletal features of these molecules.
• To briefly discuss the potential microbial origins of meroterpene biosynthesis.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of scientific publications on marine invertebrate meroterpenes.
• Compilation and structural illustration of over 300 meroterpene molecules.
• Summary of reported bioactivities and synthetic approaches.
• Brief discussion on biosynthetic pathways, including microbial links.

Main Results:

• Over 300 meroterpenes from marine invertebrates, primarily sponges and tunicates, are presented.
• Many meroterpenes exhibit complex structures with unique cyclization and rearrangement-derived skeletons.
• A range of bioactivities associated with these compounds are documented.
• Syntheses for several meroterpenes are noted.

Conclusions:

• Marine invertebrates are significant producers of structurally diverse and complex meroterpenes.
• These compounds possess varied bioactivities, warranting further investigation.
• The potential involvement of microbial symbionts in meroterpene biosynthesis is an area for future research.