Biomaterials and Bioactive Natural Products from Marine Invertebrates: From Basic Research to Innovative Applications

Aquatic invertebrates are a major source of biomaterials and bioactive natural products
that can find applications as pharmaceutics, nutraceutics, cosmetics, antibiotics, antifouling products
and biomaterials. Symbiotic microorganisms are often the real producers of many secondary
metabolites initially isolated from marine invertebrates; however, a certain number of them are
actually synthesized by the macro-organisms. In this review, we analysed the literature of the years
2010–2019 on natural products (bioactive molecules and biomaterials) from the main phyla of marine
invertebrates explored so far, including sponges, cnidarians, molluscs, echinoderms and ascidians,
and present relevant examples of natural products of interest to public and private stakeholders. We
also describe omics tools that have been more relevant in identifying and understanding mechanisms
and processes underlying the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in marine invertebrates. Since
there is increasing attention on finding new solutions for a sustainable large-scale supply of bioactive
compounds, we propose that a possible improvement in the biodiscovery pipeline might also come
from the study and utilization of aquatic invertebrate stem cells.