Main description:

"Handbook of Marine Natural Products" takes a fresh approach to describing the major themes of research in this rapidly developing field. This two volume reference work begins with a section that provides a taxonomic survey of the secondary metabolites of diverse marine life including microbes, algae, and invertebrates. This is followed by a demonstration of the techniques and strategies employed in modern structure elucidation of complex natural products. The natural roles of marine natural products are then explored in a series of focused chapters which include the topics of symbiosis, anti-predation and antifouling, chemical interactions, and defence against UV stress. Various routes which facilitate the understanding of marine natural product biosynthesis are subsequently explained and these are followed by an extensive set of chapters on the biomedical potential of marine natural products. The latter portion of this section considers the technologies and scientific disciplines necessary for advancing bioactive marine natural product lead compounds into actual pharmaceuticals. The reference work finishes with a selection of chapters describing marine toxins and their impact on public health and seafood resources. Final thoughts presented at the end of the second volume focus on the future of this field of investigation and discovery research.

This publication is presented as a reference handbook and general concepts are emphasized and illustrated with numerous interesting examples, graphical information, and a comprehensive index. "Handbook of Marine Natural Products" introduces students who are at advanced undergraduate and entry graduate student levels to this fascinating multidisciplinary field. It is an ideal desk companion for courses focusing on this contemporary area.

Contents:

Introduction (Fattorusso and Taglialatela-Scafati) Section I: Natural Product Trends in Different Groups of Marine Life 1.1. Taxonomy and marine natural products research (J. Blunt) 1.2. Chemistry of microalgae and macroalgae (Gerwick) 1.3. Chemistry of marine bacteria and fungi (W. Fenical) 1.4. Chemistry of marine invertebrates (sponges) (P. Proksch) 1.5. Chemistry of marine invertebrates (tunicates) (M. Menna) Section II: Structure Elucidation of Marine Natural Products 2.1. The role of databases in marine natural products research (M. Munro) 2.2. Strategies for structural assignment of MNP through advanced 2D NMR techniques. (A. Mangoni) 2.3. Configuration assignment of marine natural products (K. Gustafson) 2.4. Prediction of NMR data through quantum-mechanical calculations (R. Riccio) 2.5. Contemporary Strategies in Natural Products Structure Elucidation (P. Crews) Section III: MNP and Chemical Ecology 3.1. Antipredatory defensive role of natural products from marine invertebrates (J. Pawlik) 3.2. Antipredatory defensive roles of planktonic MNPs (A. Ianora) 3.3. Anti-fouling activity of MNP (P. Qian) 3.4. Chemical interactions among marine competitors, and host-pathogens (M. Slattery) 3.5. Marine Metabolites and Metal Ion Chelation (M. Jaspars) Section IV: Biosynthesis of MNP 4.1. Biosynthetic studies through feeding experiments (G. Cimino) 4.2. Biosynthetic studies through molecular genetic approaches (D. Sherman) 4.3. Mechanisms of halogenation of marine secondary metabolites (G. Koenig) Section V: Biomedical Potential of Marine Natural Products 5.1. Enzyme Inhibitors from Marine Invertebrates (N. Fusetani) 5.2. Marine Natural Products that target Microtubules (R.J. Andersen) 5.3. Antiprotozoan Marine Natural Products (Fattorusso and Taglialatela Scafati) 5.5. Mechanism-based screening for cancer therapeutics with examples from the discovery of marine natural product-based HIF-1 inhibitors (D. G. Nagle) 5.6. Fluorescent proteins from the oceans: Marine macromolecules of utility to medicine and biotechnology (J. Wiedenmann) <5.7. From biosilica of sponges to fabricated biomedical materials (W.E.G. Muller) 5.8. Meeting the supply needs of marine natural products (D.J. Newmann) 5.9. Legal and ethical issues involving marine biodiscovery and development (G.M. Cragg) 5.10. Synthesis of Marine Natural Product Leads (A. Phillips) Section VI: Marine Toxins: A Problem for Public Health and Seafood Resources 6.1 Seafood toxins: classes, sources and toxicology (P. Ciminiello) 6.2. Detection of marine toxins through LC/MS techniques (M. Quilliam) 6.3. Marine protein toxins (H. Nagai) Conclusions. The future of marine natural products chemistry. (W. Gerwick)