Agricultural Research,Education and Extension Organization Iranian Journal of Fisheries Sciences 1562-2916 25 4 2026 07 01 Anti-Alzheimer and antioxidant activities of bacteria isolated from the Persian Gulf sponges 617 635 135842 10.22092/ijfs.2026.135842 EN F. Bahadori Department of Microbiology, Jahrom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran F. Kafilzadeh Department of Microbiology, Jahrom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran S. Tamadoni Jahromi Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bandar Abbas, Iran M. Kargar Department of Microbiology, Jahrom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran M. Gozari Persian Gulf and Oman Sea Ecology Research Center, Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute (IFSRI), Agricultural Research Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Bandar Abbas, Iran Journal Article 2026 07 19 Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors are vital in the management of Alzheimer’s disease. This study aimed to identify bacteria isolated from sponge samples collected near Hengam Island and evaluate their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity. Sponge samples of <em>Halicona</em> sp. and <em>Axinella</em> sp. were collected by scuba diving. A total of 131 bacterial strains were isolated using Marine Zobell agar medium. <em>Bacillus</em> and <em>Vibrio</em> species were the most frequently identified bacteria from the sponge samples. Analysis of the extracted metabolites revealed that four isolates could inhibit acetylcholinesterase activity, with IC<sub>50</sub> values between 203.60 and 385.62 μg/ml. According to the MTT cell proliferation assay, HH 151 extract exhibited cytotoxic effects on the HUVEC cell line. The AChE inhibitory extracts also showed DPPH radical scavenging activity between 78.12 μg/mL and 237.54 μg/mL. The 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed about 99 to 100% homology between HH 127, HH 151, HA 315, and HA 338 strains with <em>Vibrio azureus, Streptomyces nigrescens, Bacillus pumilus</em>,<em> </em>and<em> Bacillus subtilis </em>species<em>. </em>These findings provided new candidates of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitors from sponge-associated bacteria for <em>in vivo</em> studies. Alzheimer disease Acetylcholinesterase Enzyme Inhibitors Persian Gulf Sponge-associated bacteria https://jifro.areeo.ac.ir/article_135842_1d5e5ab8297bc6ea9c4d56c605b1ef84.pdf