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Open AccessArticle

New Record of Dendronephthya sp. (Family: Nephtheidae) from Mediterranean Israel: Evidence for Tropicalization?

by Hagai Nativ, Ori Galili, Ricardo Almuly, Shai Einbinder, Dan Tchernov and Tali Mass

Biology 2023, 12(9), 1220; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12091220 - 8 Sep 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4900

Bio-invasions have the potential to provoke cascade effects that can disrupt natural ecosystems and cause ecological regime shifts. The Mediterranean Sea is particularly prone to bio-invasions as the changing water conditions, evoked by climate change, are creating advantageous conditions for Lessepsian migrants from the Red Sea. Recently, in May 2023, a new alien species was documented in the Mediterranean Sea—a soft coral of the genus Dendronephthya. This discovery was made by divers conducting ‘Long-Term Ecological Research’ surveys, along the coast of Israel, at a depth of 42 m. Genetic and morphological testing suggest that the species identity may be Dendronepthya hemprichi, an Indo-Pacific coral, common in the Red Sea. According to life history traits of this species, such as accelerated attachment to available surfaces and fast growth, we expect it to rapidly expand its distribution and abundance across the Mediterranean Sea. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Alien Marine Species in the Mediterranean Sea)

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5 pages, 1356 KB

Open AccessInteresting Images

An Encrusting Hard Coral Enclosing Soft Coral in the High-Latitude Asia–Pacific Marginal Distribution Zone

by Taihun Kim and Do-Hyung Kang

Diversity 2022, 14(10), 856; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14100856 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4044

Abstract

Environmentally adapted and resistant hard and soft coral communities within the high-latitude Asia–Pacific marginal distribution zone are thriving, despite their comparably stressful environment (unfavorable winter water temperature and light regimes). Korea’s Jeju Island is famous for its diverse and abundant soft coral communities, which coexist with reef-building hard corals. Although antagonistic interactions between soft and hard corals generally feature the soft coral as the winner, we observed a soft coral of the species Dendronephthya gigantea completely enclosed by the encrusting hard coral Montipora millepora accompanied by a general decrease in soft coral and increase in M. millepora abundances. This indicates an ongoing species/habitat shift with significant impacts on the current state of corals living at their geographic limit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Interesting Images from the Sea)

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26 pages, 11817 KB

Open AccessReview

Natural Products from Octocorals of the Genus Dendronephthya (Family Nephtheidae)

by Yung-Husan Chen, Yu-Chia Chang, Yu-Hsin Chen, Li-Guo Zheng, Pin-Chang Huang, Thanh-Hao Huynh, Bo-Rong Peng, You-Ying Chen, Yu-Jen Wu, Lee-Shing Fang, Jui-Hsin Su, Chang-Min Hsu and Ping-Jyun Sung

Molecules 2020, 25(24), 5957; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25245957 - 16 Dec 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4760

Abstract

In this review, 170 natural substances, including steroid, diterpenoid, sesquiterpenoid, peptide, prostaglandin, base, chlorolipid, bicyclolactone, amide, piperazine, polyketide, glycerol, benzoic acid, glycyrrhetyl amino acid, hexitol, pentanoic acid, aminoethyl ester, octadecanone, alkaloid, and a 53-kD allergenic component from octocorals belonging to genus Dendronephthya, [...] Read more.

(This article belongs to the Section Natural Products Chemistry)

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8 pages, 3127 KB

Open AccessArticle

New 1,4-Dienonesteroids from the Octocoral Dendronephthya sp.

by Thanh-Hao Huynh, Pei-Chin Chen, San-Nan Yang, Feng-Yu Lin, Tung-Pin Su, Lo-Yun Chen, Bo-Rong Peng, Chiung-Chin Hu, You-Ying Chen, Zhi-Hong Wen, Tung-Ying Wu and Ping-Jyun Sung

Mar. Drugs 2019, 17(9), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/md17090530 - 11 Sep 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3798

Abstract

Two new steroids, dendronesterones D (1) and E (2), featuring with 1,4-dienone moiety, along with three known steroids, methyl 3-oxochola-4,22-diene-24-oate (3), 5α,8α-epidioxy-24(S)- methylcholesta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (4), and 5α,8α-epidioxy-24(S)-methylcholesta-6,9(11),22-trien-3β-ol (5), were isolated from an octocoral Dendronephthya sp. The structures of steroids 1 and 2 were elucidated by using spectroscopic methods and steroid 1 was found to exhibit significant in vitro anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells by inhibiting the expression of the iNOS protein. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Compounds from Coral Reef Organisms)

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11 pages, 3535 KB

Open AccessArticle

Soft Coral Dendronephthya puetteri Extract Ameliorates Inflammations by Suppressing Inflammatory Mediators and Oxidative Stress in LPS-Stimulated Zebrafish

by Eun-A Kim, Yuling Ding, Hye-Won Yang, Soo-Jin Heo and Seung-Hong Lee

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2018, 19(9), 2695; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms19092695 - 10 Sep 2018

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5051

Abstract

Marine-derived extract and/or bioactive compounds have attracted increasing demand due to their unique and potential uses as cures for various inflammation-based diseases. Several studies revealed anti-inflammatory candidates found in soft corals. However, the effects of soft corals on inflammation in an in vivo model remain to be determined. Therefore, the extract of soft coral Dendronephthya puetteri (DPE) was investigated for an in vivo anti-inflammatory effect in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated zebrafish model to determine its potential use as a natural anti-inflammatory agent. We also investigated whether DPE has toxic effects in a zebrafish model. No significant changes were observed in terms of survival, heart beat rate, or developmental abnormalities in the zebrafish embryos exposed to a concentration below 100 µg/mL of DPE. Treating the zebrafish model with LPS-treatment significantly increased the ROS, NO generation, and cell death. However, DPE inhibited this LPS-stimulated ROS, NO generation, and cell death in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, DPE significantly reduced the mRNA expression of both iNOS and COX-2 and markedly suppressed the expression levels of the proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-6, in an LPS-stimulated zebrafish model. These findings demonstrate that DPE has profound anti-inflammatory effect in vivo, suggesting that DPE might be a strong natural anti-inflammatory agent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Natural Anti-Inflammatory Agents 2018)

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