Abstract

Marine sponges are rich in microbial biota. In this study, totally four sponges namelyCallyspongia diffusa, Hyattella Cribriformis, Sigmadocia carnosa, Spongia officininalisVar ceylonensis were collected and their associated bacteria and fungi were isolated.Among the microbes isolated, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Penicillium citrinumwere isolated from C. diffusa which showed broad range of activity against tested pathogens. This study demonstrates that the culturable fraction of bacteria and fungi from the sponges were diverse and appears to possess much potential as a source for the discovery of new medically relevant biological active agents.

Key words: Sponges, antibacterial activity, antifungal activity.