full issue - Association of Biotechnology and Pharmacy

Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy
Vol. 5 (3) 1251-1272 July 2011, ISSN 0973-8916 (Print), 2230-7303 (Online)
microorganisms and marine sponges showed to
produce related peptide-like structures, capable
of mimicking the binding of endogenous peptides
without displaying their functionality.
Interestingly, it has been proven that many
bioactive compounds isolated from marine
sponges are produced by its associated
microorganisms (82), suggesting that more
research should be done in isolating the chemical
entities amongst the microbiota of marine
sponges.
Additionally, selectivity for one receptor
was found in plant-derived compounds,
suggesting that they are a good source of
potential lead compounds and that compounds
identified during screening programs could end
up as novel, more active and safer structures and
should be then promoted for further evaluation.
Acknowledgements
Financial support by the National
Secretariat of Science, Technology and
Innovation (SENACYT) from the Panamanian
government as grant numbers COL06-006 and
COL08-014, and by a partnership program
between the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (The Hague, Netherlands)
and the International Foundation for Science
(Stockholm, Sweden) are gratefully
acknowledged.
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