Four new diterpenoids, australins E–H (1–4), have been isolated from the marine soft coral Cladiella sp. collected in Pohnpei. The structures of 1–4 were elucidated by analysis of their NMR and mass spectrometry data combined with an X-ray diffraction analysis of australin E (1). Australin E (1) activates the inositol 5-phosphatase SHIP1 in vitro.

A series of oxy-polybrominated diphenyl ethers (O-PBDEs) has been isolated from the extracts of Miamira magnifica and Miamira miamirana collected from Queensland, Australia. M. magnifica sequesters the new OH-PBDE 1 and six known OH-PBDEs containing four to six bromines (2–7). M. miamirana also accumulates known tribromo- and tetrabromo OMe-PBDEs 8–10 in both mantle and viscera tissues. To date, Miamira is the only genus of the family Chromodorididae that is known to incorporate O-PBDEs, rather than terpenes, in the mantle where the metabolites may play a putative role in chemical defense. The extract of M. magnifica was tested in a brine shrimp lethality assay and exhibited an LD₅₀ of 58 μg/mL.

Patantis G, Dewi AS, Fawzya YN, Nursid M. 2019. Identification of Beche-de-mers from Indonesia by molecular approach. Biodiversitas 20: 537-543. Sea cucumbers have been commercially traded around the world due to their nutritional values and health benefits. Sea cucumbers are marketed as processed sea cucumber, also known as beche de mer, teripang, haisen or gamat. Due to the high global demand of beche-de-mers, there have been several cases of fraud due to the visual shape and color similarities of processed sea cucumbers. Additionally, the local name diversity of Indonesian sea cucumbers making the identification of beche-de-mers difficult. Therefore, this study aimed to identify commercial sea cucumbers from selected locations in Indonesia by molecular approach. The targeted Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) was used in this research. A total of 25 beche-de-mers was purchased from local markets in Indonesia, i.e. Boalemo (17 local names), Pesawaran (5), Surabaya (2) and West Lombok (1). Results showed that 22 species of beche-de-mer were successfully identified, ie. Acaudina sp., Actinopyga echinites, A. lecanora, A. miliaris, Bohadschia argus, B. marmorata, B. ocellata, B. vitiensis, Holothuria sp. H. atra, H. coluber, H. edulis, H. excellens, H. fuscocinerea, H. fuscogilva, H. fuscopunctata, H. scabra, Pearsonothuria graeffei, Phyrella sp., Stichopus herrmanni, S. horrens and S. monotuberculatus. The identification of Indonesian beche-de-mers using molecular method could support the identification of the local sea cucumbers to overcome mislabeled and fraud. Correct identification is important for the record of beche-de-mer trade in Indonesia and further conservation management.

Background: Fucoxanthin is a potential tumor cytotoxic compound. However, mechanisms underlying the activities are unclear. Aim: This in silico study aimed to predict the main mechanism of fucoxanthin; whether with its binding to p53 gene, CDK2, or tubulin. Materials and Methods: In silico was studied by using Autodock-Vina's algorithms. The mechanisms being analyzed by comparison of fucoxanthin and native ligands binding energies in p53 gene (1RV1), CDK2 (1AQ1), and three binding sites of tubulin (1JFF-paclitaxel, 1SA0-colchicine, and 1Z2B-vinblastine site). Results: Autodock-Vina's algorithms were valid, as re-docking the native ligands to their receptors showed a RSMD value less than 2 A with binding energies of -11.5 (1RV1), -14.4 (1AQ1), -15.4 (1JFF), -9.2 (1SA0), and -9.7 (1Z2B) kcal/mol. Docking of fucoxanthin to subjected receptors were -6.2 (1RV1), -9.3 (1AQ1), -8.1 (1JFF), -9.2 (1SA0), and -7.2 (1Z2B) kcal/mol. Virtual analysis of fucoxanthin and tubulin binding structure showed the carboxyl moiety in fucoxanthin make a hydrogen bound with 355Val (2.61 A) and 354Ala (2.79 A) at tubulin. Conclusion: The results showed that binding energy of fucoxanthin could only reach the same level as with colchicine ligand in tubulin. Therefore, it may predict that the most probable fucoxanthin main mechanism is to bind tubulin, which causes microtubules depolimerization and cell cycle arrest.