To which order do soft corals, sought-after anti-cancer sources, belong?
Answer
Alcyonacea
Soft corals, distinguished by their flexible nature and lack of a rigid external skeleton unlike their hard counterparts, are classified specifically under the order Alcyonacea. Research has shown a particularly strong focus on this group because their reliance on biochemical defenses, due to their structural simplicity as organisms, results in a richer arsenal of secreted natural products. This chemical output has proven highly valuable, with scientists identifying compounds exhibiting significant anti-cancer activity derived specifically from members of the Alcyonacea order.
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