Bacterial lipopolysaccharide induces settlement and metamorphosis in a marine larva.

How larvae of the many phyla of marine invertebrates find places appropriate for settlement, metamorphosis, growth, and reproduction is an enduring question in marine science. Biofilm-induced metamorphosis has been observed in marine invertebrate larvae from nearly every major marine phylum. Despite the widespread nature of this phenomenon, the mechanism of induction remains poorly understood. The serpulid polychaete Hydroides elegans is a well established model for investigating bacteria-induced larval development. A broad range of biofilm bacterial species elicit larval metamorphosis in H. elegans via at least two mechanisms, including outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) and complexes of phage-tail bacteriocins. We investigated the interaction between larvae of H. elegans and the inductive bacterium Cellulophaga lytica, which produces an abundance of OMVs but not phage-tail bacteriocins. We asked whether the OMVs of C. lytica induce larval settlement due to cell membrane components or through delivery of specific cargo. Employing a biochemical structure­function approach with a strong ecological focus, the cells and OMVs produced by C. lytica were interrogated to determine the class of the inductive compounds. Here, we report that larvae of H. elegans are induced to metamorphose by lipopolysaccharide produced by C. lytica. The widespread prevalence of lipopolysaccharide and its associated taxonomic and structural variability suggest it may be a broadly employed cue for bacterially induced larval settlement of marine invertebrates.

A New Fusicoccane-Type Norditerpene and a New Indone from the Marine-Derived Fungus Aspergillus aculeatinus WHUF0198.

A new norditerpene named aculeaterpene A (1) and a new indone named aculeaindone A (2), along with eight known compounds 3-10 were isolated from the culture extract of Aspergillus aculeatinus WHUF0198. The structural characterization of compounds 1 and 2 were performed by spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS experiments, whereas the absolute configurations were determined by comparing their experimental or calculated ECD spectra. Compound 1 was the first report of fusicoccane-based norditerpene, in which the C-20 was degraded and tured into a hydroxy group.

Two new guaiane sesquiterpenes from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius Deliciosus.

Two new guaiane sesquiterpenes, 7-(1-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-1-azulenecarboxaldehyde (1) and 7-isopropenyl-4-methyl-1-azulenecarboxylic acid (2), together with 5 known sesquiterpenes, were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Lactarius deliciosus. All structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic methods, including 1 D and 2 D-NMR spectroscopy and high resolution mass spectrometry.

Comparative Investigation into Formycin A and Pyrazofurin A Biosynthesis Reveals Branch Pathways for the Construction of C-Nucleoside Scaffolds.

Formycin A (FOR-A) and pyrazofurin A (PRF-A) are purine-related C-nucleoside antibiotics in which ribose and a pyrazole-derived base are linked by a C-glycosidic bond. However, the logic underlying the biosynthesis of these molecules has remained largely unexplored. Here, we report the discovery of the pathways for FOR-A and PRF-A biosynthesis from diverse actinobacteria and propose that their biosynthesis is likely initiated by a lysine N6-monooxygenase. Moreover, we show that forT and prfT (involved in FOR-A and PRF-A biosynthesis, respectively) mutants are correspondingly capable of accumulating the unexpected pyrazole-related intermediates 4-amino-3,5-dicarboxypyrazole and 3,5-dicarboxy-4-oxo-4,5-dihydropyrazole. We also decipher the enzymatic mechanism of ForT/PrfT for C-glycosidic bond formation in FOR-A/PRF-A biosynthesis. To our knowledge, ForT/PrfT represents an example of ß-RFA-P (ß-ribofuranosyl-aminobenzene 5'-phosphate) synthase-like enzymes governing C-nucleoside scaffold construction in natural product biosynthesis. These data establish a foundation for combinatorial biosynthesis of related purine nucleoside antibiotics and also open the way for target-directed genome mining of PRF-A/FOR-A-related antibiotics.IMPORTANCE FOR-A and PRF-A are C-nucleoside antibiotics known for their unusual chemical structures and remarkable biological activities. Deciphering the enzymatic mechanism for the construction of a C-nucleoside scaffold during FOR-A/PRF-A biosynthesis will not only expand the biochemical repertoire for novel enzymatic reactions but also permit target-oriented genome mining of FOR-A/PRF-A-related C-nucleoside antibiotics. Moreover, the availability of FOR-A/PRF-A biosynthetic gene clusters will pave the way for the rational generation of designer FOR-A/PRF-A derivatives with enhanced/selective bioactivity via synthetic biology strategies.

Uncommon terpenoids with anti-inflammatory activity from the Hainan soft coral Sinularia tumulosa.

One novel sesquiterpenoid containing an unprecedented eight-membered cyclic peroxide motif, sinulatumolin A (1), along with four new related terpenoids, namely sinulatumolins B-E (2-4 and 6), were isolated from South China Sea soft coral Sinularia tumulosa. The structures of all the isolates were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis, chemical transformations, and single X-ray diffraction analysis. Compound 1 represents the first example of sesquiterpene bearing an eight-membered cyclic peroxide ring from soft coral. All the new compounds isolated were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity. Compounds 1, 3, 4 and 6 displayed significant TNF-α inhibitory activity being comparable with that of the positive control dexamethasone (IC50 = 8.7 µM), with IC50 values of 7.5, 2.6, 5.5, and 3.6 µM, respectively.

Octahydro-Protoberberine and Protoemetine-Type Alkaloids from the Stems of Alangium salviifolium and Their Cytotoxicity.

Two octahydro-protoberberine alkaloids, alangiifoliumines A (1) and B (2), and two new protoemetine derivatives, alangiifoliumines C (3) and D (4), together with 11 known compounds, have been isolated from the stems of Alangium salviifolium. While the structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, the absolute configurations of the new alkaloids were determined by conformational analysis and time-dependent density functional theory-electronic circular dichroism spectra calculations on selected stereoisomers. Compounds 1 and 2 represent the first 5,8,8a,9,12,12a,13,13a-octahydro-protoberberine derivatives, in which the aromatic ring D was reduced to cyclohexene. All the compounds isolated were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against three human cancer cell lines: A-549, HeLa, and SKOV-3. Alkaloids 1, 3, and 6-14 exhibited inhibitory effects against all three human cancer cell lines, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values in the range of 3 nM to 9.4 µM.

Genome mining in Trichoderma viride J1-030: discovery and identification of novel sesquiterpene synthase and its products.

Sesquiterpene synthases in Trichoderma viride have been seldom studied, despite the efficiency of filamentous fungi for terpenoid production. Using the farnesyl diphosphate-overexpressing Saccharomyces cerevisiae platform to produce diverse terpenoids, we herein identified an unknown sesquiterpene synthase from T. viride by genome mining and determined the structure of its corresponding products. One new 5/6 bicyclic sesquiterpene and its esterified derivative were characterised by GC-MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first well-identified sesquiterpene synthase from T. viride to date.

Coordinated Biosynthesis of the Purine Nucleoside Antibiotics Aristeromycin and Coformycin in Actinomycetes.

Purine nucleoside antibiotic pairs, concomitantly produced by a single strain, are an important group of microbial natural products. Here, we report a target-directed genome mining approach to elucidate the biosynthesis of the purine nucleoside antibiotic pair aristeromycin (ARM) and coformycin (COF) in Micromonospora haikouensis DSM 45626 (a new producer for ARM and COF) and Streptomyces citricolor NBRC 13005 (a new COF producer). We also provide biochemical data that MacI and MacT function as unusual phosphorylases, catalyzing an irreversible reaction for the tailoring assembly of neplanocin A (NEP-A) and ARM. Moreover, we demonstrate that MacQ is shown to be an adenosine-specific deaminase, likely relieving the potential "excess adenosine" for producing cells. Finally, we report that MacR, an annotated IMP dehydrogenase, is actually an NADPH-dependent GMP reductase, which potentially plays a salvage role for the efficient supply of the precursor pool. Hence, these findings illustrate a fine-tuned pathway for the biosynthesis of ARM and also open the way for the rational search for purine antibiotic pairs.IMPORTANCE ARM and COF are well known for their prominent biological activities and unusual chemical structures; however, the logic of their biosynthesis has long been poorly understood. Actually, the new insights into the ARM and COF pathway will not only enrich the biochemical repertoire for interesting enzymatic reactions but may also lay a solid foundation for the combinatorial biosynthesis of this group of antibiotics via a target-directed genome mining strategy.

An ATP-Dependent Ligase with Substrate Flexibility Involved in Assembly of the Peptidyl Nucleoside Antibiotic Polyoxin.

Polyoxin (POL) is an unusual peptidyl nucleoside antibiotic, in which the peptidyl moiety and nucleoside skeleton are linked by an amide bond. However, their biosynthesis remains poorly understood. Here, we report the deciphering of PolG as an ATP-dependent ligase responsible for the assembly of POL. A polG mutant is capable of accumulating multiple intermediates, including the peptidyl moiety (carbamoylpolyoxamic acid [CPOAA]) and the nucleoside skeletons (POL-C and the previously overlooked thymine POL-C). We further demonstrate that PolG employs an ATP-dependent mechanism for amide bond formation and that the generation of the hybrid nucleoside antibiotic POL-N is also governed by PolG. Finally, we determined that the deduced ATP-binding sites are functionally essential for PolG and that they are highly conserved in a number of related ATP-dependent ligases. These insights have allowed us to propose a catalytic mechanism for the assembly of peptidyl nucleoside antibiotic via an acyl-phosphate intermediate and have opened the way for the combinatorial biosynthesis/pathway engineering of this group of nucleoside antibiotics.IMPORTANCE POL is well known for its remarkable antifungal bioactivities and unusual structural features. Actually, elucidation of the POL assembly logic not only provides the enzymatic basis for further biosynthetic understanding of related peptidyl nucleoside antibiotics but also contributes to the rational generation of more hybrid nucleoside antibiotics via synthetic biology strategy.

Discovery and characterization of the tubercidin biosynthetic pathway from Streptomyces tubercidicus NBRC 13090.

BACKGROUND: Tubercidin (TBN), an adenosine analog with potent antimycobacteria and antitumor bioactivities, highlights an intriguing structure, in which a 7-deazapurine core is linked to the ribose moiety by an N-glycosidic bond. However, the molecular logic underlying the biosynthesis of this antibiotic has remained poorly understood. RESULTS: Here, we report the discovery and characterization of the TBN biosynthetic pathway from Streptomyces tubercidicus NBRC 13090 via reconstitution of its production in a heterologous host. We demonstrated that TubE specifically utilizes phosphoribosylpyrophosphate and 7-carboxy-7-deazaguanine for the precise construction of the deazapurine nucleoside scaffold. Moreover, we provided biochemical evidence that TubD functions as an NADPH-dependent reductase, catalyzing irreversible reductive deamination. Finally, we verified that TubG acts as a Nudix hydrolase, preferring Co2+ for the maintenance of maximal activity, and is responsible for the tailoring hydrolysis step leading to TBN. CONCLUSIONS: These findings lay a foundation for the rational generation of TBN analogs through synthetic biology strategy, and also open the way for the target-directed search of TBN-related antibiotics.

Flabellipparicine, a Flabelliformide-Apparicine-Type Bisindole Alkaloid from Tabernaemontana divaricata.

Four new monoterpenoid bisindole alkaloids, flabellipparicine (1), 19,20-dihydrovobparicine (2), 10'-demethoxy-19,20-dihydrovobatensine D (3), and 3'-(2-oxopropyl)ervahanine A (4), and 10 known monoterpenoid indole alkaloids were isolated from the stems of Tabernaemontana divaricata. All structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configuration of 1 was established using conformational analysis and TDDFT-ECD calculation of selected stereoisomers. Compound 1 represents the first flabelliformide-apparicine-type bisindole alkaloid, in which the flabelliformide-like unit connects to the apparicine-like unit with a C-3-C-22' bond and an N-1-C-16' bond to form an uncommon five-membered ring between the two monomers. All alkaloids were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and A-549. Compounds 2, 4, and 14 exhibited cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and A-549 with IC50 values in the range of 2 nM to 8 µM.

Three New Cytotoxic Monoterpenoid Bisindole Alkaloids from Tabernaemontana bufalina.

Three new bisindole alkaloids, 3'-(2-oxopropyl)-19,20-dihydrotabernamine (1: ), 3'-(2-oxopropyl)-ervahanine B (2: ), 19,20-dihydrovobparicine (3: ), and 20 known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of Tabernaemontana bufalina. The structures of these alkaloids were elucidated using spectroscopic methods. The absolute configurations of 1: -3: were determined by the circular dichroic exciton chirality method. Compounds 1: -23: were screened for their cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, A-549 and MCF-7. Ten compounds (1: -3, 10, 14, 16, 17, 19, 22: , and 23: ) exhibited inhibitory effects against the two human cancer cells with IC50 values of 1.19 ~ 6.13 µM.

Acanthiline A, a pyrido[1,2-a]indole alkaloid from Chinese mangrove Acanthus ilicifolius.

Chemical investigation of the leaves and stems of the Chinese mangrove Acanthus ilicifolius Linn. led to the isolation and structure elucidation of one new pyrido[1,2-a]indole alkaloid named acanthiline A (1), together with one known compound aurantiamide acetate (2). Compound 1 has a previously unreported natural product skeleton. The structure elucidation of 1 was based on the analysis of its 1D and 2D NMR and mass spectroscopic data.

Biosynthesis of 2'-Chloropentostatin and 2'-Amino-2'-Deoxyadenosine Highlights a Single Gene Cluster Responsible for Two Independent Pathways in Actinomadura sp. Strain ATCC 39365.

2'-Chloropentostatin (2'-Cl PTN, 2'-chloro-2'-deoxycoformycin) and 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine (2'-amino dA) are two adenosine-derived nucleoside antibiotics coproduced by Actinomadura sp. strain ATCC 39365. 2'-Cl PTN is a potent adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitor featuring an intriguing 1,3-diazepine ring, as well as a chlorination at C-2' of ribose, and 2'-amino dA is an adenosine analog showing bioactivity against RNA-type virus infection. However, the biosynthetic logic of them has remained poorly understood. Here, we report the identification of a single gene cluster (ada) essential for the biosynthesis of 2'-Cl PTN and 2'-amino dA. Further systematic genetic investigations suggest that 2'-Cl PTN and 2'-amino dA are biosynthesized by independent pathways. Moreover, we provide evidence that a predicted cation/H+ antiporter, AdaE, is involved in the chlorination step during 2'-Cl PTN biosynthesis. Notably, we demonstrate that 2'-amino dA biosynthesis is initiated by a Nudix hydrolase, AdaJ, catalyzing the hydrolysis of ATP. Finally, we reveal that the host ADA (designated ADA1), capable of converting adenosine/2'-amino dA to inosine/2'-amino dI, is not very sensitive to the powerful ADA inhibitor pentostatin. These findings provide a basis for the further rational pathway engineering of 2'-Cl PTN and 2'-amino dA production.IMPORTANCE 2'-Cl PTN/PTN and 2'-amino dA have captivated the great interests of scientists, owing to their unusual chemical structures and remarkable bioactivities. However, the precise logic for their biosynthesis has been elusive for decades. Actually, the identification and elucidation of their biosynthetic pathways not only enrich the biochemical repertoire of novel enzymatic reactions but may also lay solid foundations for the pathway engineering and combinatorial biosynthesis of this family of purine nucleoside antibiotics to generate novel hybrid analogs with improved features.

Heliotropiumides A and B, new phenolamides with N-carbamoyl putrescine moiety from Heliotropium foertherianum collected in Hawaii and their biological activities.

Two new compounds heliotropiumides A (1) and B (2), phenolamides each with an uncommon carbamoyl putrescine moiety, were isolated from the seeds of a naturalized Hawaiian higher plant, Heliotropium foertherianum Diane & Hilger in the borage family, which is widely used for the treatment of ciguatera fish poisoning. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were characterized based on MS spectroscopic and NMR analysis, and DP4+ calculations. The absolute configuration (AC) of compound 1 was determined by comparison of its optical rotation with those reported in literature. Compound 2 showed inhibition against NF-κB with an IC50 value of 36µM.

Metabolic engineering of an industrial polyoxin producer for the targeted overproduction of designer nucleoside antibiotics.

Polyoxin and nikkomycin are naturally occurring peptidyl nucleoside antibiotics with potent antifungal bioactivity. Both exhibit similar structural features, having a nucleoside skeleton and one or two peptidyl moieties. Combining the refactoring of the polyoxin producer Streptomyces aureochromogenes with import of the hydroxypyridylhomothreonine pathway of nikkomycin allows the targeted production of three designer nucleoside antibiotics designated as nikkoxin E, F, and G. These structures were determined by NMR and/or high resolution mass spectrometry. Remarkably, the introduction of an extra copy of the nikS gene encoding an ATP-dependent ligase significantly enhanced the production of the designer antibiotics. Moreover, all three nikkoxins displayed improved bioactivity against several pathogenic fungi as compared with the naturally-occurring antibiotics. These data provide a feasible model for high efficiency generation of nucleoside antibiotics related to polyoxins and nikkomycins in a polyoxin cell factory via synthetic biology strategy.

Brominated polyunsaturated lipids with protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B inhibitory activity from Chinese marine sponge Xestospongia testudinaria.

A new brominated polyunsaturated lipid, methyl (E,E)-14,14-dibromo-4,6,13-tetradecatrienoate (1), along with three known related analogues (2-4), were isolated from the Et2O-soluble portion of the acetone extract of Chinese marine sponge Xestospongia testudinaria treated with diazomethane. The structure of the new compound was elucidated by detailed spectroscopic analysis and by comparison with literature data. Compound 3 exhibited significant inhibitory activity against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B), a key target for the treatment of type II diabetes and obesity, with an IC50 value of 5.30 ± 0.61 µM, when compared to the positive control oleanolic acid (IC50 = 2.39 ± 0.26 µM).

Aculeaxanthones A-E, new xanthones from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus aculeatinus WHUF0198.

Introduction: Dimeric natural products are widespread in plants and microorganisms, which usually have complex structures and exhibit greater bioactivities than their corresponding monomers. In this study, we report five new dimeric tetrahydroxanthones, aculeaxanthones A-E (4-8), along with the homodimeric tetrahydroxanthone secalonic acid D (1), chrysoxanthones B and C (2 and 3), and 4-4'-secalonic acid D (9), from different fermentation batches of the title fungus. Methods: A part of the culture was added to a total of 60 flasks containing 300 ml each of number II fungus liquid medium and culture 4 weeks in a static state at 28˚C. The liquid phase (18 L) and mycelia was separated from the fungal culture by filtering. A crude extract was obtained from the mycelia by ultrasound using acetone. To obtain a dry extract (18 g), the liquid phase combined with the crude extract were further extracted by EtOAc and concentrated in vacuo. The MIC of anaerobic bacteria was examined by a broth microdilution assay. To obtain MICs for aerobic bacteria, the agar dilution streak method recommended in Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute document (CLSI) M07-A10 was used. Compounds 1-9 was tested against the Bel-7402, A-549 and HCT-116 cell lines according to MTT assay. Results and Discussion: The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the base of 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESIMS data, and the absolute configurations of the new xanthones 4-8 were determined by conformational analysis and time-dependent density functional theory-electronic circular dichroism (TDDFT-ECD) calculations. Compounds 1-9 were tested for cytotoxicity against the Bel-7402, A549, and HCT-116 cancer cell lines. Of the dimeric tetrahydroxanthone derivatives, only compound 6 provided cytotoxicity effect against Bel-7402 cell line (IC50, 1.96 µM). Additionally, antimicrobial activity was evaluated for all dimeric tetrahydroxanthones, including four Gram-positive bacteria including Enterococcus faecium ATCC 19434, Bacillus subtilis 168, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and MRSA USA300; four Gram-negative bacteria, including Helicobacter pylori 129, G27, as well as 26,695, and multi drug-resistant strain H. pylori 159, and one Mycobacterium M. smegmatis ATCC 607. However, only compound 1 performed activities against H. pylori G27, H. pylori 26695, H. pylori 129, H. pylori 159, S. aureus USA300, and B. subtilis 168 with MIC values of 4.0, 4.0, 2.0, 2.0, 2.0 and 1.0 µg/mL, respectively.

Japonisine A, a fawcettimine-type Lycopodium alkaloid with an unusual skeleton from Lycopodium japonicum Thunb.

Japonisine A, a novel fawcettimine-type Lycopodium alkaloid with an unusual skeleton and two new fawcettimine-type ones, along with 20 known Lycopodium alkaloids, were isolated from the whole plants of Lycopodium japonicum Thunb. Their structures were determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, and HR-ESIMS, as well as by comparison with the literature data. Notably, japonisine A (1) was the first example of fawcettimine-related Lycopodium alkaloid with a 2-oxopropyl attached at C-6. All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glucosidase. Unfortunately, the results indicated that all the compounds were inactive against the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and α-glucosidase.