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    Identification of the protease inhibitor miraziridine A in the Red sea sponge Theonella swinhoei

    Paula Tabares1, Björn Degel2, Norbert Schaschke3, Ute Hentschel1, Tanja Schirmeister4,5★★ Corresponding author

    1. 1University of Wuerzburg, Botany II, Julius-von-Sachs-Institute
    2. 2University of Wuerzburg
    3. 3University of Bielefeld, Chemistry
    4. 4Pharmacy and Food Chemistry, Würzburg, Germany
    5. 5Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Mainz, Germany

    CORRESPONDENCE

    Tanja Schirmeister

    *Address for correspondence: Dr. Tanja Schirmeister, Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz

    schirmei@uni-mainz.de

    Revised: 29-07-2011.

    Volume 4, Issue 1 · pp. 63–72 · PUBLISHED October-December 2012 · DOI: 10.4103/0974-8490.91047

    View on Pharmacogn. Res. original site ↗

    ABSTRACT

    Background Miraziridine A, a natural peptide isolated from a marine sponge, is a potent cathepsin B inhibitor with a second-order rate constant of 1.5 x 104 M-1 s-1. In the present study, miraziridine A was isolated from the Red Sea sponge Theonella swinhoei on the basis of chromatographic and spectrometric techniques. We conclude that T. swinhoei from the Red Sea represents an alternative source of the aziridinylpeptide miraziridine A to the previously identified Theonella mirabilis from Japan. We confirmed that the metabolite is produced by marine sponges from different geographical locations. Context Marine sponges have been proven to be a rich source of secondary metabolites exhibiting a huge diversity of biological activities, including antimicrobial, antitumor and immunomodulatory activities. Theonella species (order Lithistida, Demospongiae) have been shown to be a source of anti-protease and anti-HIV secondary metabolites. Aims To identify the protease inhibitor mirazirine A in the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei. Material and Methods The marine sponge Theonella swinhoei was collected by SCUBA diving in the Red Sea in Eilat (Israel). Sponge material was lyophilized and further extracted successively with cyclohexane, dichloromethane and methanol to obtain three crude extracts. LC-MS analysis was performed to confirm the presence of Miraziridine A in the dichloromethane fraction. Results In the present study, miraziridine A was isolated from the Red Sea sponge T. swinhoei on the basis of chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques. Conclusions We conclude that T. swinhoei from the Red Sea represents an alternative source of the aziridinylpeptide miraziridine A to the previously identified Theonella mirabilis from Japan.

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      Tabares, P., Degel, B., Schaschke, N., Hentschel, U., & Schirmeister, T. (2012). Identification of the protease inhibitor miraziridine A in the Red sea sponge Theonella swinhoei. Pharmacognosy Research, 4(1), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.4103/0974-8490.91047