Fifteen　new　DOPA-derived　pyrrole　alkaloids,　named　baculiferins　A-O　(2-16),　were　isolated　from　the　Chinese　marine　sponge　Iotrochota　baculifera,　together　with　the　known　alkaloids　purpurone　(1)　and　ningalin　A　(17).　Most　of　the　new　compounds　contain　one　to　three　O-sulfate　units.　Their　structures　were　determined　by　extensive　spectroscopic　analysis　including　(1)H　and　(13)C　NMR　(COSY,　HMQC,　HMBC)　and　ESIMS　data.　A　possible　pathway　for　the　biosynthetic　origin　of　the　isolated　alkaloids　is　proposed,　in　which　DOPA　is　assumed　to　be　a　joint　biogenetic　precursor.　Baculiferins　C,　E-H,　and　K-N　(4,　6-9,　12-15)　were　found　to　be　potent　inhibitors　against　the　HIV-1　IIIB　virus　in　both,　MT4　and　MAGI　cells.　Additional　bioassay　revealed　that　baculiferins　could　dramatically　bind　to　the　HIV-1　target　proteins　Vif,　APOBEC3G,　and　gp41,　for　which　structure-activity　relationships　are　discussed.　(C)　2010　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.