Pemuchiamides A and B, Proline-Rich Linear Lipopeptides, Isolated from a Marine Hormoscilla sp. Cyanobacterium.

Pemuchiamides A and B (1 and 2) were isolated from a marine Hormoscilla sp. cyanobacterium collected from Pemuchi Beach on Hateruma Island, Japan. Although 1 and 2 existed as a complex mixture of rotamers in chloroform-d, detailed analyses of their 2D NMR and tandem mass spectra revealed their planar structures, respectively. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were established via the degradation and derivatization reactions. Pemuchiamide A (1) exhibited potent growth-inhibitory activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the causative organism of African sleeping sickness, while 2 showed 10-fold weaker activity than 1. This result indicates that the presence of a hydroxy group at the C-3 position of the 4-aminobutanoic acid moiety negatively affects antitrypanosomal activity.

Wajeepeptin, a Cytotoxic and Antitrypanosomal Cyclic Depsipeptide from a Marine Moorena sp. Cyanobacterium.

Here, we report wajeepeptin (1), a new cyclic depsipeptide isolated from a marine Moorena sp. cyanobacterium. The structure was elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic analyses, X-ray diffraction analysis, and degradation reactions. Wajeepeptin (1) showed moderate cytotoxicity (IC50 = 3.7 µM against HeLa cells) and potent antitrypanosomal activity (IC50 = 0.73 ± 0.14 µM against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense).

Kagimminols A and B, Cembrene-Type Diterpenes from an Okeania sp. Marine Cyanobacterium.

Kagimminols A (1) and B (2), new cembrene-type diterpenoids, were isolated from an Okeania sp. marine cyanobacterium. By combining DP4 analysis with an efficient NMR chemical shift calculation protocol, we clarified the relative configurations of 1 and 2 without consuming precious natural products. We determined the absolute configurations by a comparison of theoretical electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra with experimental spectra, and the absolute configuration of 1 was verified experimentally. Finally, we found that 1 and 2 showed selective growth-inhibitory activity against the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis. This study exemplifies that computational chemistry is an efficient tool for clarifying the configurations of natural products possessing tautomers in equilibrium.

Total Synthesis of Bipenicilisorin and Assignment of the Absolute Configuration.

The first total synthesis of bipenicilisorin (1) isolated from Penicillium chrysogenum SCSIO 41001 via its monomer natural product, penicilisorin (2), was achieved. Penicilisorin was synthesized in four steps from a o-bromobenzaldehyde derivative via the Pd-catalyzed one-pot fluorocarbonylation/lactonization/ß-elimination cascade reaction. Iodination of penicilisorin gave 7-iodopenicilisorin which was dimerized by Pd-catalyzed homodimerization to provide (±)-bipenicilisorin. The unknown absolute configuration of naturally occurring (+)-bipenicilisorin was examined by optical resolution of the (±)-synthetic bipenicilisorin and a comparison of experimental and theoretical electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. These results support the absolute configuration of the natural product to be Sa. A cytotoxic activity test of (+)-and (-)-bipenicilisorin using A549 cells revealed that (+)-1 has a lower IC50 value than (-)-1.

Isolation and structure determination of a new analog of polycavernosides from marine Okeania sp. cyanobacterium.

Polycavernoside E (1), a new polycavernoside analog, was isolated from a marine Okeania sp. cyanobacterium. The relative configuration was elucidated primarily by analyzing the two dimensional nuclear magnetism resonance (2D NMR) data. The absolute configuration was clarified by comparing the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data of 1 with those of known analogs. Polycavernoside E (1) exhibited moderate antitrypanosomal activity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense. Furthermore, the isolation of polycavernoside E (1) from marine cyanobacteria provides additional evidence that marine cyanobacteria, and not red algae, are responsible for the biosynthesis of polycavernosides.

Total Synthesis of Ikoamide, a Highly N-Methylated Antimalarial Lipopeptide.

Ikoamide (1) is a highly N-methylated antimalarial lipopeptide that was isolated from a marine cyanobacterium, an Okeania sp. in 2018, which shows strong antimalarial activity without cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines. To establish a synthetic method for obtaining enough ikoamide for its biological evaluations, we have established a total synthesis of ikoamide. The synthetic method presented here lays the foundation for the development of novel ikoamide analogues, which may lead to a discovery of pharmaceutically unique antimalarial drug leads.

Total Synthesis of Caldorazole, a Potent Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain Inhibitor without Chiral Centers.

Caldorazole (1) is a novel polyketide that was isolated from a marine cyanobacterium in 2022. It is a unique natural product that exhibits potent inhibitory activity against mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I despite having no chiral centers. To establish a method for obtaining caldorazole without relying on biological resources and for constructing a useful synthetic route for studies of its structure-activity relationship, we achieved the first total synthesis of caldorazole using a convergent synthetic route.

Isolation and Structure Determination of Akunolides, Macrolide Glycosides from a Marine Okeania sp. Cyanobacterium.

Akunolides A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4), new macrolide glycosides, were isolated from a marine Okeania sp. cyanobacterium. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and derivatization reactions. Akunolides A-D (1-4) are classified as 16-membered macrolide glycosides, which are relatively rare structures for marine cyanobacterium-derived natural products. Akunolides A-D (1-4) showed moderate antitrypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, with IC50 values ranging from 11 to 14 µM. Furthermore, akunolides A (1) and C (3) exhibited no cytotoxicity against normal human WI-38 cells even at a concentration of 150 µM.

Differentiation-Promoting Effects of Okeaniamides A and B from an Okeania sp. Marine Cyanobacterium on Preadipocytes.

The linear lipopeptides okeaniamide A (1) and okeaniamide B (2) were isolated from an Okeania sp. marine cyanobacterium collected in Okinawa. The structures of these compounds were established by spectroscopic analyses, and the absolute configurations were elucidated based on a combination of chemical degradations, Marfey's analysis, and derivatization reactions. Okeaniamide A (1) and okeaniamide B (2) dose-dependently promoted the differentiation of mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in the presence of insulin.

Structural Determination, Total Synthesis, and Biological Activity of Iezoside, a Highly Potent Ca2+-ATPase Inhibitor from the Marine Cyanobacterium Leptochromothrix valpauliae.

Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) is a membrane protein on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that transports Ca2+ from the cytosol into the ER. As its function is associated with various biological phenomena, SERCA has been recognized as a promising druggable target. Here, we report the second-strongest SERCA-inhibitory compound known to date, which we isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Leptochromothrix valpauliae and named iezoside (1). The structure of iezoside (1) is fundamentally different from that of any other SERCA inhibitor, and its potency is the strongest among marine natural products (Ki 7.1 nM). In this article, we report our comprehensive analysis of iezoside (1), which covers its isolation, structural characterization supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations and statistical analysis, total synthesis, and clarification of the mode of action of its potent antiproliferative activity (IC50 6.7 ± 0.4 nM against HeLa cells).

Odookeanynes A and B, Acetylene-Containing Lipopeptides from an Okeania sp. Marine Cyanobacterium.

Odookeanynes A (1) and B (2), two acetylene-containing lipopeptides, were isolated from an Okeania sp. marine cyanobacterium collected in Okinawa, Japan. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and Marfey's analysis of acid hydrolysates. Odookeanynes A (1) and B (2) dose-dependently promoted the differentiation of mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes in the presence of insulin.

Targeted Discovery of Amantamide B, an Ion Channel Modulating Nonapeptide from a South China Sea Oscillatoria Cyanobacterium.

Amantamide B (1) is a new linear nonapeptide analogue of the cyanobacterial natural product amantamide A (2), and both have methyl ester and butanamide termini. These compounds were discovered in this study from the organic extract of a tropical marine filamentous cyanobacterium, Oscillatoria sp., collected around the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea. The use of LC-MS/MS molecular networking for sample prioritization and as an analytical dereplication tool facilitated the targeted isolation of 1 and 2. These molecules were characterized by spectroscopy and spectrometry, and configurational assignments were determined using chemical degradation and chiral-phase HPLC analysis. Compounds 1 and 2 modulated spontaneous calcium oscillations without notable cytotoxicity at 10 µM in short duration in vitro testing on primary cultured neocortical neurons, a model system that evaluates neuronal excitability and/or the potential activity on Ca2+ signaling. Both molecules were also found to be moderately cytotoxic in longer duration bioassays, with in vitro IC50 values of 1-10 µM against CCRF-CEM human T lymphoblastoid cells and U937 human histiocytic lymphoma cells. These formerly undiscovered bioactivities of known compound 2 expand upon its previously reported function as a selective CXCR7 agonist among 168 GPCR targets.

Isolation and Total Synthesis of Bromoiesol sulfates, Antitrypanosomal arylethers from a Salileptolyngbya sp. Marine Cyanobacterium.

Bromoiesol sulfates A (1) and B (2), new polyhalogenated aryl sulfates, were isolated from a Salileptolyngbya sp. marine cyanobacterium along with their hydrolyzed compounds, bromoiesols A (3) and B (4). To pick up the candidates of their structures, we used Small Molecule Accurate Recognition Technology (SMART), an artificial intelligence-based structure-prediction tool, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of bromoiesols (3 and 4). In addition, to verify the structures, the total synthesis of bromoiesol A sulfate (1) and bromoiesol A (3) was achieved. The bromoiesol family, especially bromoiesols (3 and 4), selectively inhibited the growth of the bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the causative agent of human African sleeping sickness.

Isolation and Total Synthesis of Kinenzoline, an Antitrypanosomal Linear Depsipeptide Isolated from a Marine Salileptolyngbya sp. Cyanobacterium.

Kinenzoline (1), a new linear depsipeptide, was isolated from a marine Salileptolyngbya sp. cyanobacterium. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and degradation reactions. In addition, we achieved a total synthesis of 1 and confirmed its structure. Kinenzoline (1) showed highly selective antiproliferative activity against the causative organism of sleeping sickness, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (IC50 4.5 µM), compared to normal human cells (WI-38, IC50 > 100 µM). Kinenzoline (1) is a promising lead compound for the development of new antitrypanosomal drugs.

Isolation, Structure Determination, and Total Synthesis of Hoshinoamide C, an Antiparasitic Lipopeptide from the Marine Cyanobacterium Caldora penicillata.

Hoshinoamide C (1), an antiparasitic lipopeptide, was isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Caldora penicillata. Its planar structure was elucidated by spectral analyses, mainly 2D NMR, and the absolute configurations of the α-amino acid moieties were determined by degradation reactions followed by chiral-phase HPLC analyses. To clarify the absolute configuration of an unusual amino acid moiety, we synthesized two possible diastereomers of hoshinoamide C and determined its absolute configuration based on a comparison of their spectroscopic data with those of the natural compound. Hoshinoamide C (1) did not exhibit any cytotoxicity against HeLa or HL60 cells at 10 µM, but inhibited the growth of the parasites responsible for malaria (IC50 0.96 µM) and African sleeping sickness (IC50 2.9 µM).

Motobamide, an Antitrypanosomal Cyclic Peptide from a Leptolyngbya sp. Marine Cyanobacterium.

Motobamide (1), a new cyclic peptide containing a C-prenylated cyclotryptophan residue, was isolated from a marine Leptolyngbya sp. cyanobacterium. Its planar structure was established by spectroscopic and MS/MS analyses. The absolute configuration was elucidated based on a combination of chemical degradations, chiral-phase HPLC analyses, spectroscopic analyses, and computational chemistry. Motobamide (1) moderately inhibited the growth of bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (IC50 2.3 µM). However, it exhibited a weaker cytotoxicity against normal human cells (IC50 55 µM).

First Total Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationship of Iheyamide A, an Antitrypanosomal Linear Peptide Isolated from a Dapis sp. Marine Cyanobacterium.

Iheyamide A (1) is an antitrypanosomal linear peptide isolated from a Dapis sp. marine cyanobacterium by our group in 2020, and based on structure-activity relationships of its natural analogues, the C-terminal pyrrolinone moiety has been identified as the phamacophore for its antiparasitic activity. Further, we isolated this pyrrolinone moiety by itself as a new natural product from the marine cyanobacterium and named it iheyanone (2). As expected, iheyanone (2) showed antitrypanosomal activity, but its potency was weaker than iheyamide A (1). To clarify more detailed structure-activity relationships, we completed a total synthesis of iheyamide A (1) along with iheyanone (2) and evaluated the antitrypanosomal activities of several synthetic intermediates. As a result, we found that the longer the peptide chain, the stronger the antitrypanosomal activity. As iheyamide A (1) showed selective toxicity against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, these findings can provide design guidelines for antitrypanosomal drugs.

Metabolomic Characterization of a cf. Neolyngbya Cyanobacterium from the South China Sea Reveals Wenchangamide A, a Lipopeptide with In Vitro Apoptotic Potential in Colon Cancer Cells.

Metabolomics can be used to study complex mixtures of natural products, or secondary metabolites, for many different purposes. One productive application of metabolomics that has emerged in recent years is the guiding direction for isolating molecules with structural novelty through analysis of untargeted LC-MS/MS data. The metabolomics-driven investigation and bioassay-guided fractionation of a biomass assemblage from the South China Sea dominated by a marine filamentous cyanobacteria, cf. Neolyngbya sp., has led to the discovery of a natural product in this study, wenchangamide A (1). Wenchangamide A was found to concentration-dependently cause fast-onset apoptosis in HCT116 human colon cancer cells in vitro (24 h IC50 = 38 µM). Untargeted metabolomics, by way of MS/MS molecular networking, was used further to generate a structural proposal for a new natural product analogue of 1, here coined wenchangamide B, which was present in the organic extract and bioactive sub-fractions of the biomass examined. The wenchangamides are of interest for anticancer drug discovery, and the characterization of these molecules will facilitate the future discovery of related natural products and development of synthetic analogues.

Iheyamides A-C, Antitrypanosomal Linear Peptides Isolated from a Marine Dapis sp. Cyanobacterium.

Iheyamides A (1), B (2), and C (3), new linear peptides, were isolated from a marine Dapis sp. cyanobacterium. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses and degradation reactions. Iheyamide A (1) showed moderate antitrypanosomal activities against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Trypanosoma brucei brucei (IC50 = 1.5 µM), but the other two analogues, iheyamides B (2) and C (3), did not (IC50 > 20 µM, respectively). The structure-activity relationship clarified that an isopropyl-O-Me-pyrrolinone moiety was necessary for the antitrypanosomal activity. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of 1 against normal human cells, WI-38, was 10 times weaker than its antitrypanosomal activity (IC50 = 18 µM).

Irijimasides A-E, Macrolide Glycosides from an Okeania sp. Marine Cyanobacterium.

Irijimasides A-E (1-5), a series of new 14-membered macrolide glycosides, were isolated from a marine cyanobacterium collected in Okinawa. The gross structures of 1-5 were established by spectroscopic analysis, including 2D NMR, while absolute stereostructures were determined based on NOESY spectra, chemical derivatization, and ECD data. All five macrolides suppressed receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) activity in mouse RAW264 macrophage cells, indicating that these compounds inhibit osteoclast formation.