Reniera japonica

Miki, W., Otaki, N., Yokoyama, A., and Kusumi, T., Possible origin of zeaxanthin in the marine sponge Reniera japonica, Experientia, 52, 93, 1996. 

SPECTRAL data UV, IR organism Reniera japonica (Porifera) reference 447, 449, 451... 

Chordata/Pisces), Reniera japonica, and Hymeniacidon sanguineum Grant (Porifera) reference 114,216,451... 

The first aromatic carotenes, renieratene and isorenier-atene, from the Japanese species Reniera japonica were characterized in 1957, but some aromatic xanthophylls are also present in Agelasida and Halichondrida (see above). 

Hamasaki, T., Okukado, N., and Yamaguchi, M. (1973) Two natural acetylenic aromatic carotenoids in Reniera japonica. Butt. Chem. Soc. Japan, 46, 1884—1885. 

In the sesquiterpenoid moiety the paniceins have the uncommon feature of an aromatic ring which, notably, has been encountered already in renieratene (126) and isorenieratene (127). These are arylcarotenoids found in the sponge Reniera japonica (syn. Halichondria panicea) 183, 184), which also yielded a third aromatic carotenoid renierapurpurin (130) 185). 

It should be noted that the alternative structure (125) for panicein-C has a carbon substitution pattern on ring B identical with that of ring A of renieratene (126) and of both the rings of renierapurpurin (130). It is of interest that Hamasaki et al. 109) have recently found two further aryl-carotenoids (131) and (132) in Reniera japonica, closely related to renieratene and isorenieratene, respectively, and with the unique feature of an acetylenic bond. Other carotenoids having conventional structures were also found in Sponges 66,105). 

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