Bugula neritina
{{short description|Species complex of marine animal}}
{{good article}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Bugula neritina.jpg
| image_caption =
| genus = Bugula
| species = neritina
| authority = (Linnaeus, 1758){{cite web |url=http://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/109209|title=Bugula neritina (brown bryozoan)|publisher=CABI (organisation)|date=3 May 2013|access-date=14 March 2015}}
| synonyms = Sertularia neritina Linnaeus, 1758 (basionym)
}}Bugula neritina (commonly known as brown bryozoan or common bugula) is a cryptic species complex of sessile marine animal in the genus Bugula.Gordon, D. (2015). Bugula neritina (Linnaeus, 1758). In: Bock, P.; Gordon, D. (2015) World List of Bryozoa. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=111158 on 2015-09-02 It has a practically cosmopolitan distribution, being found in temperate and tropical waters around the world, and it has become an invasive species in numerous locations. It is often found in hard substrates, such as rocks, shells, pillars and ship hulls, where it can form dense mats, contributing to biofouling.{{cite journal |vauthors=Yua X, Yana Y, Gua JD |year=2007 |title=Attachment of the biofouling bryozoan Bugula neritina larvae affected by inorganic and organic chemical cues |journal=Int Biodeterior Biodegradation |volume=60 |issue=2 |pages=81–89 |doi=10.1016/j.ibiod.2006.12.003|bibcode=2007IBiBi..60...81Y }} B. neritina is of biomedical interest because it harbors a bacterial symbiont that produces a group of bioactive compounds with potential applications in the treatment of numerous diseases.{{Cite journal |last1=Li |first1=Hai |last2=Mishra |first2=Mrinal |last3=Ding |first3=Shaoxiong |last4=Miyamoto |first4=Michael M. |date=2018-08-23 |title=Diversity and Dynamics of "Candidatus Endobugula" and Other Symbiotic Bacteria in Chinese Populations of the Bryozoan, Bugula neritina |journal=Microbial Ecology |volume=77 |issue=1 |pages=243–256 |doi=10.1007/s00248-018-1233-x |issn=0095-3628 |pmid=30141128 |s2cid=52077233}}{{cite journal |vauthors=Ruan BF, Zhu HL |year=2012 |title=The chemistry and biology of the bryostatins: potential PKC inhibitors in clinical development |journal=Curr Med Chem |volume=19 |issue=16 |pages=2652–64 |doi=10.2174/092986712800493020 |pmid=22506770}}{{Cite journal |last1=Wender |first1=P. A. |last2=Kee |first2=J.-M. |last3=Warrington |first3=J. M. |date=2008-05-02 |title=Practical Synthesis of Prostratin, DPP, and Their Analogs, Adjuvant Leads Against Latent HIV |journal=Science |volume=320 |issue=5876 |pages=649–652 |bibcode=2008Sci...320..649W |doi=10.1126/science.1154690 |issn=0036-8075 |pmc=2704988 |pmid=18451298}}
Biology
= Description =
B. neritina forms fouling colonies of brown-purplish color,{{Cite journal |last=Mackie |first=Josh |date=2022-01-07 |title=Bugula neritina (brown bryozoan) |journal=CABI Compendium |language=en |volume=CABI Compendium |doi=10.1079/cabicompendium.109209 |s2cid=253656042 |issn=2958-3969|doi-access=free }} it feeds itself with particles in suspension for being a sessile animal. Besides that, its zooids (individuals that compose the colony) are white, with a pointed exterior corner and differentiates itself of the other species of the genus by not presenting the following zooids: avicularium and spine zooids.{{Cite web |title=Bryozoa |trans-title=Bryozoa |url=http://osanimaisdenossaspraias.ufba.br/Bryozoa/Bryozoa.html |access-date=2023-07-08 |website=osanimaisdenossaspraias.ufba.br |language=pt}}
The colonies tend to live more than one year, and their zooids are hermaphrodites, with the dispersion of gametes in different times of life, avoiding self fecundation.
In their life cicle, a zooid is originated by sexual reproduction and develops the colony by budding, the fixation is done the whole year, with exception of the period of mid-winter, by the lecithotrophic larva. It is valid to point out that B. neritina is hermaphrodite.
= Phylogeny =
The Bugula neritina species is inserted in the clade Lophophorata due to the presence of a lophophore, a feeding structure that is the synapomorphy characteristic of the group. Phylum Bryozoa, class Gymnolaemata and order Cheilostomatida, as the external wall is calcified. They belong to the Bugulidae family and the genus Bugula.
= Distribution =
File:Lophophore of Bugula neritina.jpg
The Bugula neritina species, one of the first bryozoans to be discovered and considered as the type species of the Bugula genus,{{cite journal|author=Judith E. Winston |author2=Robert M. Woollacott |title=Rediscription and Revision of some red-pigmented Bugula species |url=http://www.mcz.harvard.edu/Publications/pubs/Bulletin_2008_1593_2449.pdf |journal=Bulletin Museum of Comparative Zoology|volume=159|issue=3|date=September 2008|pages=179-212}} are colonial and marine animals, with a wide geographical distribution. They are actually considered a complex of three crypitic species, morphologically equal, but with a few genetic differences, and the haplotype S1 is the most distributed.{{Cite journal |last1=Mackie |first1=Joshua A. |last2=Keough |first2=Michael J. |last3=Christidis |first3=Les |date=2006-05-01 |title=Invasion patterns inferred from cytochrome oxidase I sequences in three bryozoans, Bugula neritina, Watersipora subtorquata, and Watersipora arcuata |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-005-0196-x |journal=Marine Biology |language=en |volume=149 |issue=2 |pages=285–295 |doi=10.1007/s00227-005-0196-x |bibcode=2006MarBi.149..285M |s2cid=85250925 |issn=1432-1793|url-access=subscription }}
They are virtually cosmopolitans and, in many regions, invasives, once they can be found in almost the whole globe, with exception of the north and south poles, subartic and subantartic,{{Cite journal |last=Mawatari |first=S. F. |date=1992 |title=Atlas of marine-fouling Bryozoa of New-Zealand ports and harbours |url=https://www.vliz.be/en/imis |journal=Miscellaneous Publication New Zealand Oceanographic Institute |language=en}} being commonly present in the costal regions of the North Pacific and North Atlantic; in Australia, New Zealand, United States and Hawaii, Mediterranean Sea and even in Brazil.{{Cite web |title=Bugula neritina {{!}} The Exotics Guide |url=https://www.exoticsguide.org/node/160 |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=www.exoticsguide.org}} These animals have preference for shallow and warm waters, between 10 and 30 °C,{{Cite web |title=Bugula neritina (Linnaeus, 1758) - Ocean Biodiversity Information System |url=https://obis.org/taxon/111158 |access-date=2023-07-09 |website=obis.org}} being found in port areas and in ship hulls, which facilitated their dispersion and introduction in new regions. B. neritina forms biofouling colonies of approximately 10 centimeters of height, preferring organic and rigid substrates.
Interactions with humans
= Drug discovery =
Bugula neritina is of interest from a drug discovery perspective because its bacterial symbiont, Candidatus Endobugula sertula, produces the bryostatins, a group of around twenty bioactive natural products. The bryostatins are under investigation for their therapeutic potential directed at cancer immunotherapy,{{cite journal |vauthors=Singh R, Sharma M, Joshi P, Rawat DS |year=2008 |title=Clinical status of anti-cancer agents derived from marine sources |journal=Anticancer Agents Med Chem |volume=8 |issue=6 |pages=603–617 |doi=10.2174/187152008785133074 |pmid=18690825}} treatment of Alzheimer's disease,{{cite web |title=Bryostatin – Phase II clinical testing of a non-toxic PKC activator |url=http://www.brni.org/scientific_research/clinical_trials.aspx |access-date=14 March 2015 |publisher=Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (West Virginia University)}} and HIV/AIDS eradication, due to their low toxicity and antineoplastic activity.{{cite journal | doi=10.3390/md17080477 | doi-access=free | title=The Phylum Bryozoa as a Promising Source of Anticancer Drugs | date=2019 | last1=Figuerola | last2=Avila | journal=Marine Drugs | volume=17 | issue=8 | page=477 | pmid=31426556 | pmc=6722838 }}
Despite that, there is a challenge in the utilization of bryostatins in medical treatments, given that it is only found in small quantities in the organisms, making it unfeasible for the replication of the process.{{Cite journal |last1=Trindade-Silva |first1=Amaro E |last2=Lim-Fong |first2=Grace E |last3=Sharp |first3=Koty H |last4=Haygood |first4=Margo G |date=2010-12-01 |title=Bryostatins: biological context and biotechnological prospects |journal=Current Opinion in Biotechnology |series=Chemical biotechnology – Pharmaceutical biotechnology |language=en |volume=21 |issue=6 |pages=834–842 |doi=10.1016/j.copbio.2010.09.018 |pmid=20971628 |pmc=4497553 |issn=0958-1669}} In addition, the symbiotic relationship of B. neritina and the bacteria Candidatus Endobugula sertula has not yet been searched enough, bringing difficulties for the biosynthetics in the study about the cultivation of this bacteria.
= Invasive species =
The invasive aspect of this species occurs from, besides the dipersion of colonies in ship hulls, for the fact that they have high tolerance to toxic environments, including copper pollution, which confers a competitive advantage for the B. neritina in polluted environments.{{Cite journal |last1=Piola |first1=Richard F. |last2=Johnston |first2=Emma L. |date=2006-04-13 |title=Differential resistance to extended copper exposure in four introduced bryozoans |url=https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v311/p103-114/ |journal=Marine Ecology Progress Series |language=en |volume=311 |pages=103–114 |doi=10.3354/meps311103 |bibcode=2006MEPS..311..103P |issn=0171-8630|doi-access=free }}
References
= General =
- [http://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/no_cache/dms/load/toc/?IDDOC=265100 Linnaeus, C. (1758). Systema Naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentius Salvius: Holmiae. ii, 824 pp] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170613040751/http://gdz.sub.uni-goettingen.de/no_cache/dms/load/toc/?IDDOC=265100 |date=2017-06-13 }}