5, 6, 11-trideoxy tetrodotoxin attracts tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes.

Tetrodotoxin (TTX) is a potent neurotoxin that binds to voltage-gated sodium channels and blocks the passage of sodium ions. TTX is widely distributed in both terrestrial and marine organisms, and the toxic puffers are believed to accumulate TTX through the food chain. Although pufferfish was previously thought to be attracted by TTX, recent finding from electroolfactogram (EOG) studies have indicated that the olfactory epithelium of T. alboplumbeus responded to 5, 6, 11-trideoxyTTX (TDT), but not to TTX itself. In this study, we examined behavioral experiments for Takifugu rubripes to distinguish between TTX and TDT under static and flow-through conditions. Our data clearly suggested that T. rubripes juveniles were attracted to TDT, not TTX. Moreover, we determined that the minimum effective dose of TDT to attract the puffer was 1-2 nmol of TDT under static conditions and 50-60 nmol of TDT under flow-through conditions. Following the experiments under static conditions, numerous bite marks by the pufferfish were found solely on the agarose gel infused with TDT. Based on these finding, we hypothesize that the pufferfish are attracted to TDT derived from prey, leading them effectively become toxic.

Total Syntheses of the Proposed Biosynthetic Intermediates of Tetrodotoxin Tb-210B, Tb-226, Tb-242C, and Tb-258.

The collective synthesis of the four spiro-cyclic guanidines Tb-210B, Tb-226, Tb-242C, and Tb-258, all of which have been isolated from puffer fish and are considered possible biosynthetic intermediates of tetrodotoxin, has been achieved. Our synthesis is based on the stepwise deoxygenation or hydroxylation of a common intermediate, prepared from a known oxazoline.

Synthesis of the 8-Deoxy Analogue of 4,9-Anhydro-10-hemiketal-5-deoxy-tetrodotoxin, a Proposed Biosynthetic Precursor of Tetrodotoxin.

Despite decades of research, the biosynthesis of tetrodotoxin, also known as a puffer fish toxin, remains an unsolved mystery. We disclose a synthesis of the 8-deoxy analogue of 4,9-anhydro-10-hemiketal-5-deoxy-tetrodotoxin, a possible biosynthetic precursor of tetrodotoxin isolated from the Japanese toxic newt, by an intramolecular radical cyclization of a known starting material.

Biosynthesis of Indole Diterpene Lolitrems: Radical-Induced Cyclization of an Epoxyalcohol Affording a Characteristic Lolitremane Skeleton.

Lolitrems are tremorgenic indole diterpenes that exhibit a unique 5/6 bicyclic system of the indole moiety. Although genetic analysis has indicated that the prenyltransferase LtmE and the cytochrome P450 LtmJ are involved in the construction of this unique structure, the detailed mechanism remains to be elucidated. Herein, we report the reconstitution of the biosynthetic pathway for lolitrems employing a recently established genome-editing technique for the expression host Aspergillus oryzae. Heterologous expression and bioconversion of the various intermediates revealed that LtmJ catalyzes multistep oxidation to furnish the lolitrem core. We also isolated the key reaction intermediate with an epoxyalcohol moiety. This observation allowed us to establish the mechanism of radical-induced cyclization, which was firmly supported by density functional theory calculations and a model experiment with a synthetic analogue.

Total Syntheses and Determination of Absolute Configurations of Cep-212 and Cep-210, Predicted Biosynthetic Intermediates of Tetrodotoxin Isolated from Toxic Newt.

Total syntheses of Cep-212 and Cep-210, predicted biosynthetic intermediates of tetrodotoxin isolated from the Japanese toxic newt, have been accomplished from geraniol by an intramolecular hetero Diels-Alder reaction as a key step in a highly stereoselective manner. The success of these syntheses enabled us to determine their absolute configurations by using a chiral normal-phase HPLC/MS analysis of the bis-dinitrobenzene derivative of natural Cep-212 and reference derivatives prepared from chemically synthesized enantiomers.

One-Step Transformation of Trichloroacetamide into Isonitrile.

A one-step transformation of trichloroacetamide, a protective group for the amine function, into isonitrile was successfully developed. The substrate scope and functional group tolerance of this procedure are also described.