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Modern molecular -omics tools (metagenomics, metaproteomics etc.) have greatly contributed to the rapid advancement of our understanding of microbial diversity and function in the world’s oceans. These tools are now increasingly applied to host-associated environments to describe the symbiotic microbiome and obtain a holistic view of marine host-microbial interactions. Whilst all eukaryotic hosts are likely to benefit from their microbial associates, marine sessile eukaryotes, including macroalgae, seagrasses and various invertebrates (sponges, acidians, corals, hydroids etc), rely in particular on the function of their microbiome. For example, marine sessile eukaryotes are under constant grazing, colonization and fouling pressure from the millions of micro- and macroorganisms in the surrounding seawater. Host-associated microorganisms have been shown to produce secondary metabolites as defense molecules against unwanted colonization or pathogens, thus having an important function in host health and survival. Similarly microbial symbionts of sessile eukaryotes are often essential players in local nutrient cycling thus benefiting both the host and the surrounding ecosystem. Various research fields have contributed to generating knowledge of host-associated systems, including microbiology, biotechnology, molecular biology, ecology, evolution and biotechnology. Through a focus on model marine sessile host systems we believe that new insight into the interactions between host and microbial symbionts will be obtained and important areas of future research will be identified. This research topic includes original research, review and opinion articles that bring together the knowledge from different aspects of biology and highlight advances in our understanding of the diversity and function of the microbiomes on marine sessile hosts.

Symbiosis --- marine diseases --- marine microbiology --- oysters --- macroalgae --- Microbial Diversity --- seaweeds --- Sponges --- Microbial Interactions

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Marine habitats are promising sources to identify novel organisms and compounds. A total of 70% of the planet’s surface is covered by ocean, and little is known about the biosphere within these habitats. In the last few years, numerous novel bioactive compounds or secondary metabolites from marine environments have been described. This is, and will be, a promising source of candidate compounds in pharma research and chemical biology. In recent years, a number of novel techniques have been introduced to the field and it has become easier to actually (bio-)prospect compounds such as enzyme inhibitors. Those novel compounds then need to be characterized and evaluated in comparison to well-known representatives. This Special Issue focuses on the description of novel enzyme inhibitors of marine origin, including bioprospecting, omic approaches, and structural and mechanistic aspects.

sponge Monanchora pulchra --- pentacyclic guanidine alkaloids --- GH36 α-galactosidase --- GH109 α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase --- slow-binding irreversible inhibitor --- monanchomycalin B --- monanhocidin A --- normonanhocidin A --- Alzheimer′s disease --- BACE1 --- acetylcholinesterase --- in silico docking --- phlorotannins --- Ulva intestinalis --- ACE inhibitory peptide --- optimization --- purification --- structural identification --- molecular docking --- secondary metabolites --- Mycosphaerella sp. --- asperchalasine --- α-glucosidase --- kinase inhibitors --- drug development --- marine natural products --- inhibitor --- macroalgae --- marine fish --- protease --- Ulva ohnoi --- functional annotation --- structure–function relation --- natural products --- bioactives --- enzyme inhibition --- inactivation --- marine bacteria --- marine fungi --- marine sponges

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Marine organisms are a treasure trove for the discovery of novel natural products, and, thus, marine natural products have been a focus of interest for researchers for decades. Some marine bacteria are prolific producers of natural products, occurring either free-living or, as recently shown, in symbiosis with marine animals. Recent advances in DNA sequencing have led to an enormous increase in published bacterial genomes and bioinformatics tools to analyze natural product biosynthetic potential by various “genome mining” approaches. Similarly, analytical NMR and MS methods for the characterization and comparison of metabolomes of natural product producers have advanced. Novel interdisciplinary approaches combine genomics and metabolomics data for accelerated and targeted natural product discovery. This Special Issue invites articles from both genomics- and metabolomics-driven studies on marine bacteria with a focus on natural product discovery and characterization. We particularly welcome articles that combine genomics and metabolomic approaches for the dereplication and characterization of marine bacterial natural products.

Moorena bouillonii --- marine natural products --- chemogeography --- metabolomics --- natural products --- dereplication --- antibiotics --- marine sponges --- plant pathogen --- cyclodepsipeptides --- marine Actinobacteria --- Streptomyces spp. --- antibiotic --- sea cucumber --- HCV --- Actinobacteria --- marine --- Polar --- genomics --- specialised metabolites --- chitin --- chitinase --- chitin degradation machinery --- Pseudoalteromonas --- secondary metabolites --- bacterial natural products --- mass spectrometry --- genome mining --- paired omics --- keratinases --- keratinolytic proteases --- marine-derived Streptomyces --- genomic comparison --- cyanobacteria --- symbionts --- comparative genomics --- biosynthetic gene clusters --- Indonesia --- biodiversity --- novel antibiotics --- drug screening --- bioactivity --- gene cluster networking --- GNPS --- enterococci --- genome-wide analysis --- bacteriocins --- probiotics --- wild marine species --- Neolyngbya --- anticancer --- drug discovery --- South China Sea --- wenchangamide --- Moorea producens --- CuSO4·5H2O assisted --- differential gDNA isolation --- filamentous bacteria --- micrococcin P1 and P2 --- stalked diatoms

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The sustainable exploitation of marine biodiversity is one structural column of the “blue economy”, and the discovery of new compounds and materials to be used in biomedicine is considered one of the most strategic activities, within an economic context. An exhaustive selection of the different typologies of approaches used by marine biotechnologists to develop research on these topics are demonstrated in the eight original articles and two reviews comprising this Special Issue. The reported scientific publications describe the discovery of new compounds for cancer therapy or for the control of bacterial virulence. Different new uses of marine chitin or chitosan-based materials are also shown for the first time, as well as novel green techniques for the extraction of compounds from marine algae or from fishery waste, which are described in the two reviews.

Extracellular Polymeric Substances --- hydrogel --- mesenchymal stem cells --- biomaterials --- enzyme --- omega 3 --- PUFA --- Trichormus variabilis --- Cyanobacteria --- mechanochemical synthesis --- chitosan --- laser stereolithography --- long-term stability --- scaffold --- tissue reaction --- chitin --- scaffolds --- biological materials --- demosponges --- Pseudoceratina arabica --- microalgae --- biodiversity --- bioactive compounds --- green extractions --- pharmaceutical --- secondary metabolites --- biofuels --- antibiofilm --- fucoidan --- motility --- nanoparticles --- Pseudomonas aeruginosa --- virulence factors --- n-3 fatty acids --- brain --- α-Chitin --- prodigiosin --- anti-tumors --- Serratia marcescens --- bioprocessing --- echinochrome A --- estradiol --- extracellular matrix --- vocal fold --- ovariectomy --- marine polymers --- ionic liquids --- tissue engineering --- membranes --- hydrogels --- sponges --- Chondrosin --- Chondrosia reniformis --- marine toxin --- cytotoxic protein --- Porifera --- marine --- microbes --- cancer --- prevention --- therapy --- in vitro --- in vivo --- clinical studies

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Nanomaterials possess astonishing physical and chemical properties. They play a key role in the development of novel and effective drugs, catalysts, sensors, and pesticides, to cite just a few examples. Notably, the synthesis of nanomaterials is usually achieved with chemical and physical methods needing the use of extremely toxic chemicals or high-energy inputs. To move towards more eco-friendly processes, researchers have recently focused on so-called “green synthesis”, where microbial, animal-, and plant-borne compounds can be used as cheap reducing and stabilizing agents to fabricate nanomaterials. Green synthesis routes are cheap, environmentally sustainable, and can lead to the fabrication of nano-objects with controlled sizes and shapes—two key features determining their bioactivity.

anti-fungal --- chitosan --- graphene oxide --- n/a --- energy density --- sponges --- Escherichia coli --- filariasis --- titanium dioxide nanoparticles --- synthetic amorphous silica (SAS) --- green synthesis --- ionic nanocomplexes --- methylene blue --- cacao --- mesoporous materials --- polyol-assisted fluoride ions slow-release strategy --- stored product insects --- polyarginine --- solvothermal synthesis --- agricultural pests --- time dependence --- magnetic nanomaterials --- in vitro testing --- poly-L-lactic acid --- Raman spectroscopy --- sample preparation --- self-assembly --- solid carbon spheres --- crystallographic phase control --- microwave injured cells --- CuInS2 --- antimicrobial --- ZnO NPs --- Scadoxus multiflorus --- lipase --- mosquito control --- biocatalysis --- hyaluronic acid --- hybrid nanoflowers --- Desulfovibrio desulfuricans --- reduced graphene oxide --- ovicidal --- enzyme immobilization --- palladium nanoparticles --- non-cytotoxic --- photocatalysis --- insecticides --- ultrasonic dispersing (USD) --- X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy --- cell proliferation --- CVD process --- NaYF4 mesocrystals --- microwave energy --- leaf --- dengue --- hollow carbon spheres --- gum kondagogu --- functionalization --- silver nanoparticles --- larvicidal --- nanostructured --- plasma --- electrical conductivity --- larvicides --- TEM --- nanomaterials (NMs) --- carbon spheres