Chromodoris annae, Sulawesi, Heike Wägele

Opisthobranch Biodiversity in Indonesia

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Quick facts

Project title:

Indonesian Opisthobranchs and associated microorganisms - from biodiversity to drug lead discovery

ZFMK Project lead:

Prof. Dr. Heike Wägele

Unit:

Phylogenetics and Evolutionary Biology

Object of research:

Snails and Slugs

Description

The Indonesian coastline is characterized by an extremely high biodiversity. This project focusses on a specific bio-system, i.e. Opisthobranchia, their prey organisms, and the associated microorganisms. Based on our knowledge on systematics and ecology of these organisms, the final goal is to identify new drug leads for antibiotics development in a cooperation with colleagues from the Pharmaceutical Biology of the university of Bonn.

Sea slugs, forced by the absence of a protective shell, developed highly specialized defense strategies to protect their sensitive epidermis against micro and small organisms, as well as larger predators like fish and crabs. Especially chemical substances fulfill this protective role.