The biomarker they identified, a steroid compound named 26-methylstigmastane (26-mes), has a unique structure that is currently only known to be synthesized by certain species of modern sponges called
demosponges.
The finding of the additional and novel 26-mes ancient biomarker, which is unique to
demosponges, adds extra confidence that both compounds are fossil biomolecules produced by
demosponges on an ancient sea floor, researchers said.
The contractile sponge epithelium sensu lato: Body contraction of the
demosponge Tethya wilhelma is mediated by the pinacoderm.
This result is similar to GPCR transcription patterns that have been reported for the
demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica, in which many GPCRs were well expressed in pelagic larvae and then downregulated in benthic juveniles (Conaco et al., 2012).
Schroder H-C, Perovic-Ottstadt S, Rothenberger M, Wiens M, Schwertner H, Batel R, Korzhev M, Muller IM, Muller WEG (2004) Silica transport in the
demosponge Suberites domuncula: fluorescence emission analysis using the PDMPO probe and cloning of a potential transporter.
It is also likely that shell protrusions (on the posterior side), either by attachment of
demosponge or by other epibionts, could disturb the valve opening and impede burrowing, so limiting food capture by the mollusc.
The interaction of dermal cells with foreign particles suggests a direct role for these same cells in the movement, internalization, and orientation of sand grains, as described in the keratose
demosponge Dysidea etheriade Laubenfels, 1936 (Teragawa, 1986a, b).
Demosponge and sea anemone fibrillar collagen diversity reveals the early emergence of A/C clades and the maintenance of the modular structure of Type V/XI collagens from sponge to human.
Using the model of the
demosponge species Suberites domuncula Olivi, 1792, which expresses aquaporin, cDNA was cloned and the protein was heterologously expressed.
The first integrins to be cloned from early-diverging metazoans were an a integrin subunit from the
demosponge Geodia cydonium (Pancer et al., 1997) and [beta] integrin subunits from the
demosponge Ophlitaspongia tenuis and the scleractinian coral Acropora millepora (Brower et al., 1997).