Holobiome of the marine sponges, effects of the climate changes and biotechnological potentials: a holistic and multidisciplinary approach

Abstract

Marine sponges perform several services that contribute to the functioning and health of the benthic ecosystems. They also harbor diverse bacterial communities in which complex interactions are established and aid the host to grow and develop. The marine sponges are since 1970´s the main sources of biotechnological products and it is known that several of bioactive compounds obtained from these animals are, actually, synthesized by the microbial communities associated. Conversely, little is still known about the diversity and community structure of the archaeal and eukaryotic associated with marine sponges, although Archaea are also involved in the nitrogen cycle. This observation emphasizes the need to disclose their taxonomic and functional diversities within these animals. Nowadays, like many other marine creatures, sponges also face numerous threats mainly due to the effects of the climate changes. The species Aplysina fulva, A. caissara (endemic) and A. cauliformis that occur in the coast of São Paulo state and are known for their high capacity to form associations with diverse microorganisms will be investigated in this proposal by using ecological, microbiological and biotechnological approaches. It will be determined if the top-down factor controls the growth of the sponges in the coast of São Paulo. Culture-dependent and -independent methods will be applied to characterize the prokaryotic and eukaryotic communities associated with these sponges. Taxonomic diversity and community structure will be assessed by high-throughput sequencing of phylogenetic markers 16S and 18S rRNA genes. These sponge species will be collected along with surrounding seawater and sediment to verify the specificity of the microbial communities associated with the investigated sponges. The laboratory experiments using temperature expected in future scenarios of climate change will rely on the know-how from Prof. Dr. Tânia Costa for its execution. These effects in the prokaryotic community and in the host will be investigated by metagenomic and metatranscriptome analyses. Besides, the temporal stability of associated prokaryotic community will be surveyed in situ along four years for the three Aplysina species. The biotechnological potential of the bacteria isolated from three Aplysina species will be evaluated for the production of antimicrobial and anticancer compounds. Researchers from the laboratory of Prof. Dr. Wagner Vilegas will perform the bioprospecting and the genomic sequencing of selected bacteria with antimicrobial or anticancer activities. The results obtained in this project will be innovative for sponges of South Atlantic and will enable to foster our understanding on the ecological roles of both host sponges and associated microbial symbionts in the benthic ecosystem. Besides, this project will assess the great biotechnological potential of the bacterial isolated from marine sponges before the shift in seawater temperature cause the loss of the biodiversity of these animals. Thus, the question of this proposal is to assess the biodiversity and functionality of the sponge holobiome in the cost of São Paulo. (AU)