A recent study conducted by Tel Aviv University researchers revealed that sponges in the Gulf of Eilat have developed a highly original tactic to deter predators. These ancient marine organisms have developed a method of incorporating a toxic precious metal, molybdenum, into their bodies as a defense mechanism.

The research focused on a particular species of sponge, Theonella conica, which is found in the coral reefs of the Gulf of Eilat. The researchers were intrigued by the sponge’s ability to accumulate and store unprecedented levels of molybdenum. In living organisms, including humans, molybdenum is a vital trace element that is a component of certain enzymes involved in detoxifying harmful compounds, such as sulfites. It plays a role in the metabolism of nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon.

“Sponges are the earliest multicellular organisms known to science, and they play a significant role in marine environments,” said PhD student Shani Shoham, who led the research along with Professor Micha Ilan from the university’s School of Zoology.