Beyond the beaten path: improving natural products bioprospecting using an eco-evolutionary framework – the case of the octocorals. (17th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste; Antunes, Agostinho
• Is Part Of: Critical reviews in biotechnology. Volume 38:Number 2(2018)
• Page Start: 184
• Page End: 198
• Publication Date: 2018-02-17
• Subjects: Octocoral -- natural products -- chemical ecology -- concerted discovery strategy -- ecological function -- biosynthesis patterns -- eco-evolutionary processes -- bioassays -- common garden experiments -- reciprocal transplant experiments -- -omic technologies -- transcriptomic -- metagenomic -- in silico bioprospecting -- owner of the gene; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Biotechnology -- Periodicals; Review Literature -- Periodicals; Public Health -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Industry -- Periodicals; Biotechnology; Review Literature; Public Health; Environment; Industry; 660.6
• DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2017.1331335
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0738-8551

Abstract

Abstract: Marine natural products (NPs) represent an impressive source of novel bioactive molecules with major biotechnological applications. Nevertheless, the usual chemical and applied perspective leading most of bioprospecting projects come along with various limitations blurring our understanding of the extensive marine chemical diversity. Here, we propose several guidelines: (i) to optimize bioprospecting and (ii) to refine our knowledge on marine chemical ecology focusing on octocorals, one of the most promising sources of marine NPs. We identified a significant phylogenetic bias in the octocoral bioprospecting, which calls for the development of a concerted discovery strategy. Given the gap existing between the number of isolated NPs and the knowledge regarding their functions, we provide an ecologically centered workflow prioritizing biological function ahead of chemical identification. Furthermore, we illustrate how -omic technologies should rapidly increase our knowledge on solving different aspects of the ecology and evolution of marine NPs.