Petrosia ficiformis (Poiret, 1789): an excellent model for holobiont and biotechnological studies

The aggregation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells has resulted in evolution of organisms with remarkable abilities to synthetize natural bioactive compounds of biotechnological relevance. Marine sponges such as Petrosia ficiformis are examples of this evolutionary strategy. The P. ficiformis microbiome, which produces a diversity of chemical compounds, plays a fundamental role in this sponge’s extraordinary adaptation to various ecological conditions. The microbial community of P. ficiformis seems representative of sponge microbiomes, but it has an unusual exclusively horizontal transmission. This uncommon feature, together with its wide environmental distribution, its ability to generate 3D cell cultures that host symbionts, and the availability of meta-omics and physiology information make this sponge an effective model to study the complexity of holobionts.