There are many marine specimens known to produce secondary metabolites which have been found to exhibit pharmaceutically relevant biological activity, prompting ongoing comprehensive investigation of the compounds they produce. The objective of this project was to extract, isolate, identify, and analyze the bioactivity of the natural products from coral of the genus Favia, a hard coral species known to be very resilient and quick to acclimate to its surroundings. The specimens used underwent a fragmentation and/or an elevated water temperature treatment to gain understanding on what conditions allow Favia to most effectively grow prior to extractions. Following six weeks of treatment, the specimens were broken down, placed into labeled falcon tubes and then stored at -80.0°C freezer. The natural products were extracted from the sponge using organic solvent and the complex crude extract was purified into individual compounds using flash and high-performance chromatography. The structures were determined using high accuracy mass spectrometry in addition to 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Lastly, the natural products were screened for cytotoxic activity against a brain (U87) cancer cell line, as well as antibiotic activity against Pseudomonas sp. and Staphylococcus sp. bacteria.

The replication of SARS-CoV-2 is reliant upon the functionality of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme which reads templates of viral RNA and generates new RNA based on the information received. Earlier experimentation has established that the functionality of RdRp can be impacted by an individual's epitranscriptomic system with significant decreases in the catalytic activity of SARS-CoV-2 replication complex (SC2RC) in the presence of both N1-methyladenosine (m1a) and N3-methylcytosine (m3c). m1a is able to inhibit RdRp either through direct insertion into the genome which prevents RNA recognition and replication or by uptake and insertion into the genome via the enzyme in the form of m1ATP. Conversely, the presence of m3c does not directly inhibit replication however, the unnatural nucleoside induces genetic mutations such as non-canonical base pairing which eventually leads to cell death. While the apoptotic effects of m1a and m3c on SC2RC have been confirmed, these substrates are not capable of passing through the phospholipid bilayer cell membrane due to the presence of polar hydroxyl and exocyclic amino groups as well as the electrostatic repulsion that is generated in the presence of the phosphorylated analogs of these two nucleosides. To address these issues in cellular uptake, a series of prodrugs need to be synthesized to determine the bioisosteric substituent that promotes efficient cellular uptake and is easily cleaved from the respective nucleotide within the cell to allow genomic insertion.

A biosensor is a molecule that undergoes chemical modification in the presence of an analyte present in the same environment as the sensor. These analytes of interest include peroxides, molecules that can produce a radical oxygen moiety which has the capacity to cause substantial damage to the cells within our bodies – degrading membrane function and leading to innumerable physiological complications; neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and physical degenerative diseases such as cancer. Scientists may use these sensors to tell if the reactive species is within the cellular environment. With recent advances in bioorthogonal chemistry, the sensors can be anchored to specific points within a phospholipid membrane to monitor distinct cellular environments, be it within the cytoplasm or an organelle. The biosensor may be observed using fluorescence microscopy to get a full scope of the membrane’s structure and function. The gap within the literature at present time is the method by which fluorescent biosensors are most effectively introduced into the cellular environment. This project aims to evaluate the attachment of a biosensor, sensitive to the presence of hydrogen peroxide, to a phospholipid followed by introduction of the entire complex, sensor, and phospholipid, into cells. Setting this fundamental precedent will determine future directions for biosensor integration into cellular environments, thus allowing for scientists to tailor their own biosensor regimen to examine various biological pathways.