A5021663408- Marine Sponges and Natural Products
- Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Forest Insect Ecology and Management
- Microbial Community Ecology and Physiology
- Entomopathogenic Microorganisms in Pest Control
- Aquaculture disease management and microbiota
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Geological and Geophysical Studies
- Paleontology and Stratigraphy of Fossils
- Hydrocarbon exploration and reservoir analysis
- Phytochemistry and Bioactive Compounds
- Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena
- Coleoptera Taxonomy and Distribution
- Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Insect Resistance and Genetics
- Computational Drug Discovery Methods
- Cancer Treatment and Pharmacology
- Synthetic Organic Chemistry Methods
- Protist diversity and phylogeny
- Microbial Applications in Construction Materials
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Synthesis and Catalytic Reactions
- Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
National Cancer Institute
2024-2025
Target (United States)
2025
Center for Cancer Research
2025
University of Wisconsin–Madison
2019-2024
Rhodes University
2016-2024
Nelson Mandela University
2019
Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
1992
Royal Marsden Hospital
1992
Symbiotic mutualisms of bacteria and animals are ubiquitous in nature, running a continuum from facultative to obligate the perspectives both partners. The loss functions required for living independently but not within host gives rise reduced genomes many symbionts. Although phenomenon genome reduction can be explained by existing evolutionary models, initiation process is well understood. Here, we describe microbiome associated with eggs beetle Lagria villosa, consisting multiple bacterial...
Whole genome sequencing of a Burkholderiales strain library led to the discovery antifungal polyketide lagriamide B. Combining data from sequence, NMR experiments and computational predictions defined full absolute configuration.
Differential scanning fluorimetry (DSF) can be an effective high-throughput screening assay in drug discovery for detecting protein-compound interactions that stabilize or destabilize macromolecules. Due to the magnitude and quality of data produced by this biophysical assay, analyzing prioritizing compounds from large-scale DSF sets has proven challenging research community. Here, we present ShiftScan-a powerful, stand-alone tool designed rapid analysis compound prioritization based on...
The Latrunculiidae are a family of cold water sponges known for their production bioactive pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids. Previously it was shown that the bacterial community associated with Tsitsikamma sponge species comprises unusual taxa and is dominated by novel Betaproteobacterium. Here, we have characterized communities six latrunculid representing three genera (Tsitsikamma, Cyclacanthia, Latrunculia) as well Mycale species, collected from Algoa Bay on South African southeast coast....
Lithified layers of complex microbial mats known as microbialites are ubiquitous in the fossil record, and modern forms increasingly identified globally. A key challenge to developing an understanding microbialite formation environmental role is how investigate diverse communities situ . We selected living, layered (stromatolites) a peritidal environment near Schoenmakerskop, Eastern Cape, South Africa conduct spatial survey mapping composition small molecule production from samples....
The temperate marine sponge, Tsitsikamma favus, produces pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids with potential as anticancer drug leads. We profiled the secondary metabolite reservoir of T. favus sponges using HR-ESI-LC-MS/MS-based molecular networking analysis followed by preparative purification efforts to map diversity new and known pyrroloiminoquinones related compounds in extracts seven specimens. Molecular taxonomic identification confirmed all five specimens (chemotype I) were found produce...
Stromatolites are complex microbial mats that form lithified layers. Fossilized stromatolites the oldest evidence of cellular life on Earth, dating back over 3.4 billion years. Modern relatively rare but may provide clues about function and evolution their ancient counterparts. In this study, we focus peritidal occurring at Cape Recife Schoenmakerskop southeastern South African coastline, former being morphologically structurally similar to fossilized phosphatic formations. Using assembled...
Sponges are important sources of bioactive secondary metabolites. These compounds frequently synthesized by bacterial symbionts, which may be recruited from the surrounding seawater or transferred to sponge progeny parent. In this study, we investigated communities associated with Tethya rubra Samaai and Gibbons 2005. Sponge specimens were collected Evans Peak RIY Banks reefs in Algoa Bay, South Africa taxonomically identified spicule analysis molecular barcoding. Crude chemical extracts...
Sponges of the Latrunculiidae family produce bioactive pyrroloiminoquinone alkaloids including makaluvamines, discorhabdins, and tsitsikammamines. The aim this study was to use LC-ESI-MS/MS-driven molecular networking characterize secondary metabolites produced by six latrunculid species. These are Tsitsikamma favus, pedunculata, Cyclacanthia bellae, Latrunculia apicalis as well recently discovered species, nguni michaeli. Organic extracts 43 sponges were analyzed, revealing distinct...
Lithified layers of complex microbial mats known as microbialites are ubiquitous in the fossil record, and modern forms increasingly identified globally. A key challenge to developing an understanding microbialite formation environmental role is how investigate diverse communities situ. We selected living, layered (stromatolites) a peritidal environment near Schoenmakerskop, Eastern Cape, South Africa conduct spatial survey mapping composition small molecule production from samples....
Abstract Microbial symbionts associate with multicellular organisms on a continuum from facultative associations to mutual codependency. In the oldest intracellular symbioses there is exclusive vertical symbiont transmission, and co-diversification of symbiotic partners over millions years. Such often undergo genome reduction due low effective population sizes, frequent bottlenecks, reduced purifying selection. Here, we describe multiple independent acquisition events closely related...
Marine sponges often form symbiotic relationships with bacteria that fulfil a specific need within the sponge holobiont, and these symbionts are conserved narrow range of related taxa. To date, there exist only three known bacterial taxa ( Entoporibacteria , SAUL Tethybacterales ) globally distributed found in broad hosts, little is about latter two.
The genus Tsitsikamma Samaai & Kelly, 2002 is to date exclusively reported from South Africa. Three species are known the southern coast: favus 2002, Garden Route National Park Marine Protected Area (MPA) and Algoa Bay; T. pedunculata Samaai, Gibbons, Kelly Davies-Coleman, 2003, collected Cape Recife in St. Francis Bay, scurra a wreck site small bay west of Hout Bay on coast Here two new described: michaeli Parker-Nance, sp. nov. , green purse-like species, nguni Park, MPA....
ABSTRACT The loss of functions required for independent life when living within a host gives rise to reduced genomes in obligate bacterial symbionts. Although this phenomenon can be explained by existing evolutionary models, its initiation is not well understood. Here, we describe the microbiome associated with eggs beetle Lagria villosa , containing multiple symbionts related Burkholderia gladioli including reduced-genome symbiont thought produce defensive compound lagriamide. We find that...
SUMMARY Stromatolites are complex microbial mats that form lithified layers and ancient forms the oldest evidence of life on earth, dating back over 3.4 billion years. Modern stromatolites relatively rare but may provide clues about function evolution their counterparts. In this study, we focus peritidal occurring at Cape Recife Schoenmakerskop southeastern South African coastline. Using assembled shotgun metagenomic data obtained 183 genomic bins, which most dominant taxa were from...
Abstract Microbial symbionts associate with multicellular organisms on a continuum from facultative associations to mutual codependency. In some of the oldest intracellular symbioses there is exclusive vertical symbiont transmission, and co-diversification symbiotic partners over millions years. Such often undergo genome reduction due low effective population sizes, frequent bottlenecks, reduced purifying selection. Here, we describe multiple independent acquisition events closely related...
Bacterial symbionts are critical members of many marine sponge holobionts. Some sponge-associated bacterial lineages, such as Poribacteria, SAUL, and Tethybacterales appear to have broad host ranges associate with a diversity species, while others more species-specific, having adapted the niche environment their host. Host-associated spirochete that numerically dominant been documented in several invertebrates including termites, starfish, corals. However, populations rare sponges, thus far...
Bacterial symbionts are critical members of many marine sponge holobionts. Some sponge-associated bacterial lineages, such as Poribacteria, unclassified lineage (SAUL), and Tethybacterales, appear to have broad-host ranges associate with a diversity species, while others more species-specific, having adapted the niche environment their host. Host-associated spirochete that numerically dominant been documented in several invertebrates including termites, starfish, corals. However, populations...
ABSTRACT As the oldest extant metazoans, sponges (Phylum Porifera ) have been forming symbiotic relationships with microbes that may date back as far 700 million years. Most symbionts are conserved within a narrow host range and perform specialized functions. However, there widely distributed bacterial taxa such Poribacteria, SAUL Tethybacterales found in broad of invertebrate hosts. Here, we added eleven new genomes to order, identified novel family, show functional potential differs...
Abstract Background Studies attempting to observe microbes commonly considered uncultivable under standard laboratory conditions are turning so-called “deep” environmental sequencing approaches whereby they may access these unculturable organisms’ genomes via in silico approaches. A typical workflow involves metagenome assembly, annotation, and binning for reconstruction of each respective organism’s genome (or metagenome-assembled genome, MAG). Many automated have been developed displayed a...
Microorganisms from the order Burkholderiales have been source of a number important classes natural products in recent years. For example, study beetle-associated symbiont Burkholderia gladioli led to discovery antifungal polyketide lagriamide; an molecule perspectives both biotechnology and chemical ecology. As part wider project sequence genomes our in-house library we identified strain containing biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) similar original lagriamide BGC. Structure prediction failed...
Evidence of life on earth dates back more than 3.4 billion years in the form lithified layers complex microbial mats known as microbialites, which are ubiquitous fossil record. Modern, extant microbialites comparatively rare but have been documented globally. Multi-faceted, molecular investigations required to understand community structure and function, factors that influence formation growth, how modern microbialite communities differ from those non-lithifying mats. In this study we...