Application of Diffusion Growth Chambers for the Cultivation of Marine Sponge-Associated Bacteria

Georg Steinert, Susanna Whitfield, Michael W. Taylor, Carsten Thoms, Peter J. Schupp

Marine sponges contain dense and diverse microbial communities, which are renowned as a source of bioactive metabolites. The biological activities of sponge-microbe natural products span a broad spectrum, from antibacterial and antifungal to antitumor and antiviral applications. However, the potential of sponge-derived compounds has not been fully realized, due largely to the acknowledged "supply issue." Most bacteria from environmental samples have resisted cultivation on artificial growth media, and cultivation of sponge-associated bacteria has been a major focus in the search for novel marine natural products. One approach to isolate so-called "uncultivable" microorganisms from different environments is the diffusion growth chamber method. Here, we describe the first application of diffusion growth chambers for the isolation of cultivable and previously uncultivated bacteria from sponges. The study was conducted by implanting diffusion growth chambers in the tissue of Rhabdastrella globostellata reef sponges. In total, 255 16S rRNA gene sequences were obtained, with phylogenetic analyses revealing their affiliations with the Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes. Fifteen sequences represented previously uncultivated bacteria belonging to the Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria (Alpha and Gamma classes). Our results indicate that the diffusion growth chamber approach can be successfully applied in a natural, living marine environment such as sponges.