Biomaterials and Bioactive Natural Products from Marine Invertebrates: From Basic Research to Innovative Applications

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Natural Product Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Marine invertebrates are prolific sources of unique biomaterials and bioactive natural products.
• These compounds have diverse applications in pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, and antifouling technologies.
• Symbiotic microorganisms are often producers, but invertebrates also synthesize valuable secondary metabolites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review natural products and biomaterials from major marine invertebrate phyla (sponges, cnidarians, molluscs, echinoderms, ascidians) between 2010-2019.
• To highlight examples of high-interest natural products for industrial and commercial applications.
• To discuss the role of omics tools in understanding secondary metabolite biosynthesis and propose novel biodiscovery strategies.

Main Methods:

• Literature analysis of scientific publications from 2010-2019.
• Identification and categorization of natural products and biomaterials from key marine invertebrate groups.
• Review of omics technologies applied to marine invertebrate secondary metabolism.

Main Results:

• Compilation of significant bioactive molecules and biomaterials discovered from sponges, cnidarians, molluscs, echinoderms, and ascidians.
• Examples of compounds with potential pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, and cosmetic applications.
• Overview of omics tools aiding in the identification and biosynthetic pathway elucidation of marine natural products.

Conclusions:

• Marine invertebrates represent a rich reservoir of valuable natural products and biomaterials.
• Omics technologies are crucial for advancing the understanding of their biosynthesis.
• Investigating aquatic invertebrate stem cells offers a promising avenue for sustainable compound supply in future biodiscovery pipelines.