Marine Invertebrate symbioses: Well known for in-depth studies of marine invertebrate symbioses, particularly the association between the bryozoan Bugula neritina and its symbiont Endobugula sertula, which produces the anticancer bryostatins to protect the bryozoan’s offspring from predation. Due in large part to our work, this is now the best-understood example of a marine chemical defense symbiosis. More recently, demonstrated that shipworm symbionts, in addition to their known nutritional role, also contribute bioactive secondary metabolites to the association, for example:
Elshahawi, S., A. Trinidade-Silva, A. Hanora, A. Han, M. Flores, V. Vizzoni, C. Schrago, C.A. Soares, G.P. Concepcion, D. Distel, E. Schmidt, and M.G. Haygood. 2013. A boronated tartrolon antibiotic produced by symbiotic cellulose-degrading bacteria in shipworm gills. PNAS, January 22, 2013 vol. 110 no. 4 E295-E304. 10.1073/pnas.1213892110 article online