We investigated the biochemical composition of mature female gonads and lysozyme antibacterial activity of oocytes in the Mediterranean barrel jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo.

The occurrence of defense molecules is a crucial mechanism to grant healthy development of mature eggs and fertilized embryos (and the reproductive success of the species) by preventing marine bacterial overgrowth.

Stabili L, Rizzo L, Fanizzi F, Angilè F, Del Coco L, Girelli C, Lomartire S, Piraino S, Basso L. The Jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo (Cnidaria): Biochemical Composition of Ovaries and Antibacterial Lysozyme-like Activity of the Oocyte Lysate. Marine drugs. 2019 Jan;17(1):17.

https://doi.org/10.3390/md17010017