A biosynthetically significant new bacteriohopanoid present in large amounts in the Caribbean sponge Plakortis simplex

In addition to the previously reported bacteriohopanoids, the marine sponge Plakortis simplex was shown to contain large amounts of (32R,33S,34S)-32,3 5-anhydrobacteriohopanetetrol The structure of this new bacteriohopanoid wa s determined by extensive NMR analysis, and further supports the hypothesiz ed biosynthetic pathway to bacteriohopanoids. Altogether, the amounts of ba cteriohopanoids in P. simplex is as high as 50% of sterols in weight, and t hese compounds could play a structural role in the sponge cell membranes. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.