Note
The marine environment is a rich source of both biological and chemical diversity. This diversity has been the source of unique chemical compounds with the potential for industrial development as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, nutritional supplements, molecular probes, enzymes, fine chemicals, and agrichemicals. Each of these classes of marine bioproducts has a potential multi-billion dollar market value (BioScience, 1996). Thousands of unique chemical compounds have been identified from a relatively small number of the ocean’s biological and chemical diversity (Ireland et al, 1993). The oceans represent a virtually untapped resource for discovery of even more novel compounds with useful activity.