All Abstracts

Microphytobenthic biofilms are complex communities of microeukaryotes, cyanobacteria, other bacteria and archaea that occur on intertidal mudflats and sandflats. These biofilms are a significant contributor to the total primary production of coastal ecosystems and persist and function despite extreme variation in environmental conditions over short timescales and high biological competition between taxa. Given the extent of biological competition and co-evolution, highly variable environmental conditions, and their accessibility, intertidal microphytobenthic biofilms are also suitable targets for marine natural product discovery. Despite their important natural role and potential for human application, comprehensive studies of community composition, function and chemical diversity such as metabolites are lacking. In this study, microphytobenthic biofilms were sampled from intertidal settings in temperature waters across Ireland. A multi-omic workflow to characterise biological diversity using culture-independent sequencing technologies and lipid diversity using mass spectrometry-based approaches is being conducted. The qualitative and quantitative distribution of lipids were analysed by targeted and untargeted GC-MS and LC-MS with data dereplication and compounds identification being assisted using the Global Natural Product Social molecular networking platform. Preliminary data highlight significant differences in community composition and abundance between sites. Community composition, biogeography and lipid diversity differences are matched by significant variation in anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant potential based on bioactivity screening of lipid extracts.