Biologically active marine natural products

Abstract

Sponges, tunicates. and other species from shallow and deep-sea habitats yield antiviral, antitumor, antimicrobial, and antifouling compounds, as well as cytotoxic and immunomodulatory agents; our structure assignments and synthetic work are reviewed. Didemnin B, from a colonial tunicate, is in Phase II clinical trials in the United States and has been synthesized along with related compounds, including stereoisomers, whose bioactivity is compared. © 1989 IUPAC