The spherical animals shown here are colonies of the tropical ascidian,Didemnum molle. These ascidians are of medical, ecological, and biotechnological interest because of their symbiotic association with drug-producing bacteria.

Ref: Schmidt, E.W.; Nelson, J.T.;  Rasko, D.A.; Sudek, S.; Eisen, J; Haygood, M.G.; Ravel, J. Patellamide A and C biosynthesis by a lantibiotic-like pathway in Prochloron didemni, the obligate cyanobacterial symbiont of Lissoclinum patella. Proc. Natl. Acad.Sci. USA (2005), 102, 7315-7320

Marine invertebrate animals contain numerous natural products with pharmaceutical potential. Patellamide C, shown here, is one of the many unusual natural products discovered by the Ireland research group.