Sulochrins and alkaloids from a fennel endophyte Aspergillus sp. FVL2.

The fungal endophyte Aspergillus sp. strain FVL2, isolated from the traditional medicinal fennel plant, Foeniculum vulgare, was investigated for secondary metabolites. Fermentation on rice medium followed by chromatographic separation delivered three new natural products, 7-demethyl-neosulochrin (1), fumigaclavine I (3) and N-benzoyl-tryptophan (6) together with further 14 known metabolites, 1-O-methyl-sulochrin-4'-sulfate, questin, laccaic acid, isorhodoptilometrin, fumigaclavine A, fumigaclavine C, fumitremorgin C, fumigaquinazoline C, tryptoquivaline J, trypacidin, 3'-O-demethyl-sulochrin, 1-O-methyl-sulochrin, protocatechuic acid, and vermelone. The chemical structures of the new metabolites were determined by NMR spectroscopy and ESI HR mass spectrometry. For fumigaclavine I, we observed the partial deuterium transfer from the solvent to the enol form with a remarkable high stereo selectivity. The discovery of the new seco-anthraquinone 7-demethyl-neosulochrin (1) revealed a second type of ring cleavage by a questin oxygenase. The discovery of diverse secondary metabolites broadens the chemical space of Aspergillus.

Mansouramycins E-G, Cytotoxic Isoquinolinequinones from Marine Streptomycetes.

Chemical investigation of the ethyl acetate extract from the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. isolate B1848 resulted in three new isoquinolinequinone derivatives, the mansouramycins E-G (1a-3a), in addition to the previously reported mansouramycins A (5) and D (6). Their structures were elucidated by computer-assisted interpretation of 1D and 2D NMR spectra, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and by comparison with related compounds. Cytotoxicity profiling of the mansouramycins in a panel of up to 36 tumor cell lines indicated a significant cytotoxicity and good tumor selectivity for mansouramycin F (2a), while the activity profile of E (1a) was less attractive.

New Haloterpenes from the Marine Red Alga Laurencia papillosa: Structure Elucidation and Biological Activity.

Analysis of the air-dried marine red alga Laurencia papillosa, collected near Ras-Bakr at the Suez gulf (Red Sea) in Egypt delivered five new halogenated terpene derivatives: aplysiolic acid (1), 7-acetyl-aplysiol (2), aplysiol-7-one (3), 11,14-dihydroaplysia-5,11,14,15-tetrol (5a), and a new maneonene derivative 6, named 5-epi-maneolactone. The chemical structures of these metabolites were characterized employing spectroscopic methods, and the relative and absolute configurations were determined by comparison of experimental and ab initio-calculated NMR, NOE, ECD, and ORD data, and by X-ray diffraction of 2 and 6. The antimicrobial activities of the crude extract and compounds 1-3, 5a and 6 were studied.

Isolation, Synthesis And Structure Determination Of Cannabidiol Derivatives And Their Cytotoxic Activities.

In a continuing effort to explore the structural diversity and pharmacological activities of natural products based scaffolds, herein, we report the isolation, synthesis, and structure determination of cannabidiol and its derivatives along with their cytotoxic activities. Treatment of cannabidiol (1) with acid catalyst POCl3 afforded a new derivative 6 along with six known molecules 2 - 5, 7 and, 8. The structure of 6 was elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses and DFT calculations of the NMR and ECD data. All the compounds (2 - 8) were evaluated for their cytotoxic potential against a panel of eight cancer cell lines. Compounds 4, 5, 7, and 8 showed pronounced in vitro cytotoxic activity with IC50 values ranging from 5.6 to 60 µM. Out of the active molecules, compounds 4, and 7 were found to be comparable to that of the parent molecule 1 on the inhibition of almost all the tested cancer cell lines.

Boshramycinones A-C: New anthracyclinones produced by a marine-derived Streptomyces sp.: isolation, structure elucidation and biological activities.

Boshramycinones A-C (1-3), three new anthracyclinones, were isolated from the culture broth of the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. Mei 16-1,2 together with 2-acetyl-1,8-dihydroxy-3-methyl-anthraquinone (4) and bafilomycins B1, B2, and C1-amide. The isolated compounds were identified by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, the absolute configuration of 3 was determined by comparison of experimental and ab initio-calculated chiroptical data. The antimicrobial activity of the bacterial extract and the isolated compounds were assayed using a set of microorganisms, and cytotoxic activities were determined against 36 human cancer cell lines.

Karamomycins A-C: 2-Naphthalen-2-yl-thiazoles from Nonomuraea endophytica.

Karamomycins A-C (2-4), the first natural 2-naphthalen-2-yl-thiazole derivatives, were isolated along with a plausible precursor molecule, 1-hydroxy-4-methoxy-2-naphthoic acid (1), uracil, 1-acetyl-ß-carboline, and actinomycin C2 from the culture broth of the terrestrial actinomycete strain GW58/450, identified as Nonomuraea endophytica. These compounds were characterized by analysis of their NMR and mass spectrometry (MS) data; the absolute configurations of 2 and 4 were determined by comparison of 13C NMR, NOESY, and circular dichroism (CD) spectra with density functional theory (DFT)-calculated data. In karamomycin C (4), the thiazole of 2 is connected to an unusual iminothiazolo[4,3- c][1,4]thiazepinone, for which we proposed a biosynthetic origin from two cysteine residues. It is closely related to ulbactin F; however, the heterocycle is enantiomeric to the latter and connected to phenol instead of 4-methoxy-1-naphthol. Karamomycins A (2) and C (4) were cytotoxic.

Rubescins F-H, new vilasinin-type limonoids from the leaves of Trichilia rubescens (Meliaceae).

Three new limonoids, designated as rubescins F (1), G (2), and H (3), together with two known compounds of this type, TS1 (4) and trichirubine A (5), were isolated from methylene chloride/methanol extracts of Trichilia rubescens leaves. The structures of these compounds were elucidated based on 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and complemented by electrospray ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry results and by comparison to data of related compounds described in the literature and ab initio calculations. Rubescin F (1) is the first limonoid from Trichilia spp. with an oxetane ring between C-7 and C-14, which seems to be formed by the isomerization of TS1 (4). The γ-hydroxybutenolide rubescin G (2) is a potential precursor of trichirubine A (5), whereas rubescin H (3) is the first example of a triterpenoid with a single bond between C-7/C-14, forming a cyclopropane ring. The absolute configuration of these limonoids was derived from biosynthetic considerations and ab initio calculations of NMR and optical rotation dispersion data.

Carbazole-, Aspidofractinine-, and Aspidocarpamine-Type Alkaloids from Pleiocarpa pycnantha.

Three new alkaloids, janetinine (1a), pleiokomenine A (2), and huncaniterine B (3a), and 13 known compounds, pleiomutinine (3b), huncaniterine A (3c), 1-carbomethoxy-ß-carboline (4), evoxanthine (5), deformyltalbotine acid lactone (6), pleiocarpamine (7), N4-methyl-10-hydroxygeissoschizol (8), spegatrine (9), neosarpagine (10), aspidofractinine (11), N1-methylkopsinin (12), pleiocarpine (13), and N1-methylkopsinin- N4-oxide (14), were isolated from the stem bark of Pleiocarpa pycnantha. Janetinine (1a) is a carbazole alkaloid; in pleiokomenine A (2), two aspidofractinine-type alkaloids are bridged by a methylene unit in an unprecedented way, and huncaniterine B (3a) is a pleiocarpamine-aspidofractinine-type dimer. The structures and relative configurations of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of NMR and MS analyses. Their absolute configurations were defined by means of experimental and calculated ECD data, and additionally, the structures of 5 and 13 were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 1a, 2, 3b, 4, 6, 9, and 12 displayed cancer chemopreventive properties through either quinone reductase induction ( CD = 30.7, 30.2, 29.9, 43.5, and 36.7 µM for 1a, 4, 6, 9, and 12, respectively) and/or NF-κB inhibition with IC50 values of 13.1, 8.4, 9.4, and 8.8 µM for 2, 3b, 6, and 12, respectively.

seco-Tiaminic acids B and C: Identification of two novel 3,4-seco-tirucallane triterpenoids isolated from the root of Entandrophragma congoënse (Meliaceae).

Chemical investigation of the roots of Entandrophragma congoënse (Meliaceae) led to the isolation of two new 3,4-seco-tirucallane triterpenes, namely seco-tiaminic acids B and C (1 and 2) together with nine known compounds: 3,4-secotirucalla-21-formyl-23-oxo-4(28),7,24-trien-3-oic acid (3), methyl angolensate (4), molucensin N (5), molucensin O (6), piscidinol A (7), 7α,20(S)-dihydroxy-4,24(28)-ergostadien-3-one (8), 24-methylene-cholest-5-en-3ß,7α-diol (9), entilin A (10), and entilin B (11). Their structures were determined using extensive spectroscopic methods including 1D and 2D NMR, HRMS, and CD analyses; new results were compared to existing data in the literature. The two newly identified seco-tiaminic acids showed moderate antiplasmodial and cytotoxic activities against a chloroquine-sensitive strain of the malaria parasite (Plasmodium falciparum NF54) and were cytotoxic toward an L6 rat skeletal myoblast cell line, respectively.

Terretonin M: A new meroterpenoid from the thermophilic Aspergillus terreus TM8 and revision of the absolute configuration of penisimplicins.

Terretonin M (1), a new highly oxygenated tetracyclic meroterpenoid, was isolated from the thermophilic fungus Aspergillus terreus TM8 together with 10 known metabolites: terrelumamide A, asterrelenin, 7-prenyl-indolyl-3-carbaldehyde, (3ß,5α,6ß)-3,5,6-trihydroxy-ergosta-7,22-diene, sitostenone, linoleic acid, ergosterol, uracil, p-hydroxy-benzoic acid, and indole-3-carboxylic acid. The chemical structure of the new compound was elucidated by extensive 1D, 2D NMR, and ESI HR mass measurements, and by comparison with literature data. The absolute configuration of 1 was resolved by analysis of its NOESY spectrum and comparison of its experimental ECD spectrum with DFT calculations. In parallel to this work, revision of the absolute configuration of penisimplicins 3a and 3b is proposed on the basis of their ECD and ORD data. The isolation and taxonomic characterisation of A. terreus TM8 is reported, and the antimicrobial activity of the crude extract and the isolated compounds was studied as well.

Indoline alkaloids from Tabernaemontana contorta with cancer chemopreventive activity.

Two bisindoline alkaloids, contortarine A, 16-epi-pleiomutinine and a reaction product of pleiomutinine, namely N4-chloromethyl-pleiomutinine, were isolated from the roots of Tabernaemontana contorta Stapf. together with five known compounds: pleiomutinine, 1-carbomethoxy-ß-carboline, strictosidine lactam, pleiocarpamine, and pleiocarpine. The structures and relative configuration of these alkaloids were determined by extensive 1D and 2D NMR, and MS measurements. The absolute configuration of these compounds was determined by comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. Among the isolated compounds, contortarine A, 1-carbomethoxy-ß-carboline and strictosidine lactam presented cancer chemopreventive properties through either quinone reductase (QR) induction with CD values of 16.0 ± 2.5, 30.2 ± 6.1 and 23.1 ± 4.6 µM, respectively, while pleiomutinine and 16-epi-pleiomutinine displayed the inhibition of TNF-α induced NF-κB activity with IC50 at 11.7 ± 2.6 and 3.4 ± 1.1 µM, respectively.

New Azulene-Type Sesquiterpenoids from the Fruiting Bodies of Lactarius deliciosus.

In the 1H NMR-guided fractionation of extracts from the edible mushroom Lactarius deliciosus, two new azulene-type sesquiterpenoids, 7-isopropenyl-4-methyl-azulene-1-carboxylic acid (1) and 15-hydroxy-3,6-dihydrolactarazulene (2), together with seven known compounds were characterized. Their structures were determined on basis of spectroscopic evidence, as well as by comparing with literature data. Amongst the known metabolites, the 13C NMR assignment of 15-hydroxy-6,7-dihydrolactarazulene (3) is reported here for the first time. Moreover, 7-acetyl-4-methylazulene-1-carbaldehyde (5) displayed a moderate antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. *Digital image of L. deliciosus. Retrieved March 17, 2017 from https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Lactarius_deliciosus_1_(1).jpg .

Epigenetic Modulation of Endophytic Eupenicillium sp. LG41 by a Histone Deacetylase Inhibitor for Production of Decalin-Containing Compounds.

An endophytic fungus, Eupenicillium sp. LG41, isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Xanthium sibiricum, was subjected to epigenetic modulation using an NAD+-dependent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, nicotinamide. Epigenetic stimulation of the endophyte led to enhanced production of two new decalin-containing compounds, eupenicinicols C and D (3 and 4), along with two biosynthetically related known compounds, eujavanicol A (1) and eupenicinicol A (2). The structures and stereochemistry of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis using LC-HRMS, NMR, optical rotation, and ECD calculations, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Compounds 3 and 4 exist in chemical equilibrium with two and three cis/trans isomers, respectively, as revealed by LC-MS analysis. Compound 4 was active against Staphylococcus aureus with an MIC of 0.1 µg/mL and demonstrated marked cytotoxicity against the human acute monocytic leukemia cell line (THP-1). We have shown that the HDAC inhibitor, nicotinamide, enhanced the production of compounds 3 and 4 by endophytic Eupenicillium sp. LG41, facilitating their isolation, structure elucidation, and evaluation of their biological activities.

Metabolites from the Endophytic Fungus Curvularia sp. M12 Act as Motility Inhibitors against Phytophthora capsici Zoospores.

The endophytic fungus Curvularia sp., strain M12, was isolated from a leaf of the medicinal plant Murraya koenigii and cultured on rice medium followed by chemical screening of the culture extract. Chromatographic analysis led to the isolation of four new compounds, murranofuran A (1), murranolide A (2), murranopyrone (3a), and murranoic acid A (4a), along with six known metabolites, N-(2-hydroxy-6-methoxyphenyl)acetamide (5), curvularin (6), (S)-dehydrocurvularin (7), pyrenolide A (8), modiolide A (9), and 8-hydroxy-6-methoxy-3-methylisocoumarin (10). The structures of the known compounds were confirmed by comparing ESI HR mass spectra, 1H and 13C NMR, and optical rotation data with values reported in the literature. The planar structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR and mass data. The absolute configurations of the new compounds were established by coupling constant analysis, modified Mosher's method, and CD data. Compound 8 showed a strong motility impairing activity against Phytophthora capsici zoospores at a low concentration (100% at 0.5 µg/mL) in a short time (30 min). Compounds 2, 3a, 6, 7, 9, and 10 exhibited zoospore motility impairment activity at higher concentrations (IC50: 50-100 µg/mL).

The structure of antrocarine E, an ergostane isolated from Antrocaryon klaineanum Pierre (Anacardiaceae).

Eight compounds were isolated from the stem bark of Antrocaryon klaineanum, and their structures determined by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Among these compounds, the ergostane-type antrocarine E (1a) is a new compound, although the structure had already been published by mismatching the spectroscopic data with those of 2. In this paper, we are reporting the valid spectroscopic values for antrocarine E and X-ray diffraction results.

Isolation and Structural Elucidation of Nitrogenous Secondary vetabolites from Terrestrial and Marine Streptomyces spp.

Screening and chromatography of extracts from a terrestrial and a marine-derived streptomycete yielded two new nitrogenous benzene derivatives, namely (S)-N-[3-hydroxy--(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propyl]-acetamide (1a), and (R)-2-(l-methyl-2-oxopropylamino)-benzoic acid (2). Additionally, eight known compounds were. isolated, 2-acetamidophenol, phenazine-l-carboxylic acid, phenazine-l-carboxylic acid methyl ester, perlolyrin, tyrosol, uracil, and anthranilic acid. The structures of the new compounds were deduced from high resolution mass, ID and 2D NMR spectra and by comparison with related compounds from the literature. The absolute configuration of ia and 2 was determined by comparison of experimental and calculated CD and ORD data.

Inhibitory Effects of Macrotetrolides from Streptomyces spp. On Zoosporogenesis and Motility of Peronosporomycete Zoospores Are Likely Linked with Enhanced ATPase Activity in Mitochondria.

The release of zoospores from sporangia and motility of the released zoospores are critical in the disease cycle of the Peronosporomycetes that cause devastating diseases in plants, fishes, animals and humans. Disruption of any of these asexual life stages eliminates the possibility of pathogenesis. In the course of screening novel bioactive secondary metabolites, we found that extracts of some strains of marine Streptomyces spp. rapidly impaired motility and caused subsequent lysis of zoospores of the grapevine downy mildew pathogen Plasmopara viticola at 10 µg/ml. We tested a number of secondary metabolites previously isolated from these strains and found that macrotetrolide antibiotics such as nonactin, monactin, dinactin and trinactin, and nactic acids such as (+)-nonactic acid, (+)-homonactic acid, nonactic acid methyl ester, homonactic acid methyl ester, bonactin and feigrisolide C impaired motility and caused subsequent lysis of P. viticola zoospores in a dose- and time-dependent manners with dinactin being the most active compound (MIC 0.3 µg/ml). A cation channel-forming compound, gramicidin, and a carrier of monovalent cations, nigericin also showed similar biological activities. Among all 12 compounds tested, gramicidin most potently arrested the motility of zoospores at concentrations starting from 0.1 µg/ml. All macrotetrolide antibiotics also displayed similar motility impairing activities against P. viticola, Phytophthora capsici, and Aphanomyces cochlioides zoospores indicating non-specific biological effects of these compounds toward peronosporomyctes. Furthermore, macrotetrolide antibiotics and gramicidin also markedly suppressed the release of zoospores from sporangia of P. viticola in a dose-dependent manner. As macrotetrolide antibiotics and gramicidin are known as enhancers of mitochondrial ATPase activity, inhibition of zoosporogenesis and motility of zoospores by these compounds are likely linked with hydrolysis of ATP through enhanced ATPase activity in mitochondria. This is the first report on motility inhibitory and lytic activities of macrotetrolide antibiotics and nactic acids against the zoospores of peronosporomycete phytopathogens.

Marine Bacteria, XLVII - Psychrotolerant Bacteria from Extreme Antarctic Habitats as Producers of Rare Bis- and Trisindole Alkaloids.

From the gastrointestinal tract of a fish dredged near the South Orkney Islands in Antarctica, we isolated the psychrotolerant bacterial strain T262, which belongs to the species Vibrio splendidus. Investigation of this strain led to the isolation of a series of 15 bis- and trisindole derivatives. Among them, six new indole alkaloids, namely, turbomycin C [4'-n-butoxyphenyl-bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methane, 1a], turbomycin D [4'-n-propoxyphenyl-bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methane, 1b], turbomycin E [4'-ethoxyphenyl-bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methane, 1c], turbomycin F [4'-methoxy-3',5'-dinitrophenyl-bis(1H-indol-3-yl)methane, 2], trisindolal (3a), and 4-(1H-indol-3-yl-sulfanyl)phenol (4). Another new bisindole derivative elucidated as 2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-indol-3-ylethanol (7a) was obtained together with six known compounds from the psychrotolerant Arthrobacter psychrochitiniphilus strain T406, isolated from the excrement of penguins. Some of the isolated compounds showed activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria at 10 µg/paper disk. Trisindolal (3a) was active against the peronosporomycetes Botrytis cinerea and Phytophthora infestans, and some of the indole derivatives indicated promising cytotoxicity towards human tumor cell lines. By exhibiting a mean IC50 of 0.45 µg/mL (1.17 µM), trisindolal (3a) showed pronounced potency and selectivity in a panel of 11 human tumor cell lines derived from 10 different tumor histotypes.

Oligomycins and pamamycin homologs impair motility and induce lysis of zoospores of the grapevine downy mildew pathogen, Plasmopara viticola.

Four antibiotics (pamamycin, oligomycin A, oligomycin B and echinosporin) were isolated and characterized from the fermentation broth of the marine Streptomyces strains B8496 and B8739. Bioassays revealed that each of these compounds impaired motility and caused subsequent lysis of P. viticola zoospores in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Pamamycin displayed the strongest motility inhibitory and lytic activities (IC50 0.1 µg mL(-1)) followed by oligomycin B (IC50 0.15 and 0.2 µg mL(-1)) and oligomycin F (IC50 0.3 and 0.5 µg mL(-1)). Oligomycin A and echinosporin also showed motility inhibitory activities against the zoospores with IC50 values of 3.0 and 10.0 µg mL(-1), respectively. This is the first report of motility inhibitory and lytic activities of these antibiotics against zoospores of a phytopathogenic peronosporomycete. Structures of all the isolated compounds were determined based on detailed spectroscopic analysis.