Three neo-Clerodane Diterpenoids from Tinospora cordifolia Stems and Their Arginase Inhibitory Activities.

Three neo-clerodane diterpenoids, including two new tinocordifoliols A (1) and B (2) and one known tinopanoid R (3), were isolated from the ethyl acetate-soluble fraction of the 70% ethanol extract of Tinospora cordifolia stems. The structures were elucidated by various spectroscopic methods, including one dimensional (1D) and 2D-NMR, high resolution-electrospray ionization (HR-ESI)-MS, and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data. The T. cordifolia extract and all isolated compounds 1-3 possessed arginase I inhibitory activities. Among them, 3 exhibited moderate competitive inhibition of human arginase I (IC50 = 61.9 µM). Furthermore, docking studies revealed that the presence of a ß-substituted furan in 3 may play a key role in the arginase I inhibitory activities.

Insights into Arsenic Secondary Metabolism in Actinomycetes from the Structure and Biosynthesis of Bisenarsan.

The unique bioactivities of arsenic-containing secondary metabolites have been revealed recently, but studies on arsenic secondary metabolism in microorganisms have been extremely limited. Here, we focused on the organoarsenic metabolite with an unknown chemical structure, named bisenarsan, produced by well-studied model actinomycetes and elucidated its structure by combining feeding of the putative biosynthetic precursor (2-hydroxyethyl)arsonic acid to Streptomyces lividans 1326 and detailed NMR analyses. Bisenarsan is the first characterized actinomycete-derived arsenic secondary metabolite and may function as a prototoxin form of an antibacterial agent or be a detoxification product of inorganic arsenic species. We also verified the previously proposed genes responsible for bisenarsan biosynthesis, especially the (2-hydroxyethyl)arsonic acid moiety. Notably, we suggest that a C-As bond in bisenarsan is formed by the intramolecular rearrangement of a pentavalent arsenic species (arsenoenolpyruvate) by the cofactor-independent phosphoglycerate mutase homologue BsnN, that is entirely distinct from the conventional biological C-As bond formation through As-alkylation of trivalent arsenic species by S-adenosylmethionine-dependent enzymes. Our findings will speed up the development of arsenic natural product biosynthesis.

Regulation of Multidrug Efflux Pumps by TetR Family Transcriptional Repressor Negatively Affects Secondary Metabolism in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2).

Streptomyces spp. are well-known producers of bioactive secondary metabolites (SMs) that serve as pharmaceutical agents. In addition to their ability to produce SMs, Streptomyces spp. have evolved diverse membrane transport systems to protect cells against antibiotics produced by itself or other microorganisms. We previously screened mutants of Streptomyces coelicolor that show a phenotype of reduced undecylprodigiosin (RED) production in a combined-culture with Tsukamurella pulmonis. Here, we identified a point mutation, which reduced RED production, by performing genome resequencing and genetic complementation. We found that inactivation of the sco1718 gene encoding the TetR family transcriptional regulator (TFR) produced a deficient phenotype for several SMs in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). In the genome of S. coelicolor A3(2), two other sets of TFR and two-component ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes (sco4358-4360 and sco5384-5382) were found which had similar effects on the phenotype for both secondary metabolism and antibiotic resistance. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR experiments demonstrated that TFRs repressed the expression of each adjacent two-component ABC transporter genes by binding to the operator sequence. Notably, the Δsco1718 mutant showed increased resistance to several antibiotics of other actinomycete origin. Our results imply the switching of cell metabolism to direct offense (antibiotic production) or defense (efflux pump activation) using costly and limited quantities of cell energy sources (e.g., ATP) in the soil ecosystem. IMPORTANCE The bacterial metabolic potential to synthesize diverse secondary metabolites in the environment has been revealed by recent (meta)genomics of both unculturable and culturable bacteria. These studies imply that bacteria are continuously exposed to harmful chemical compounds in the environment. Streptomyces spp. contain antibiotic efflux pumps and SM biosynthetic gene clusters. However, the mechanism by which soil bacteria, including Streptomyces, survive against toxic compounds in the environment remains unclear. Here, we identified three sets of TFR-ABC transporter genes in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). We found that each TFR controlled the expression of respective ABC transporter, and the expression of all ABC transporters negatively impacted SM production and increased antibiotic resistance. Notably, bioinformatic analysis indicated that these TFR-ABC transporter gene sets are highly conserved and widely distributed in the genome of Streptomyces species, indicating the importance of systematic regulation that directs antibiotic production and xenobiotic excretion.

SolS-catalyzed sulfoxidation of labionin to solabionin drives antibacterial activity of solabiomycins.

Ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) with polar-functionalized fatty acyl groups are newly found lipopeptide-class natural products. We recently employed a combined approach of genome mining and stable isotope labeling and discovered solabiomycins as one of the polar-functionalized fatty-acylated RiPPs (PFARs) from Streptomyces lydicus NBRC13058. The solabiomycins contained a characteristic sulfoxide group in the labionin moiety referred to as the 'solabionin' structure for the RiPP moiety. A previous gene knockout experiment indicated that solS, which encodes a putative flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (phosphate) (NAD(P))-binding protein, is involved in the sulfoxidation of an alkyl sulfide in the solabionin. In this study, we isolated deoxysolabiomycins A and B from ΔsolS mutant and fully determined the chemical structures using a series of NMR experiments. We also tested the bioactivity of deoxysolabiomycins against Gram-positive bacteria, including Mycolicibacterium smegmatis, and notably found that the sulfoxide is critical for the antibacterial activity. To characterize the catalytic activity of SolS, the recombinant protein was incubated with a putative substrate, deoxysolabiomycins, and the cofactors FAD and NADPH. In vitro reactions demonstrated that SolS catalyzes the sulfoxidation, converting deoxysolabiomycins to solabiomycins.

De Novo Discovery of Thiopeptide Pseudo-natural Products Acting as Potent and Selective TNIK Kinase Inhibitors.

Bioengineering of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) is an emerging approach to explore the diversity of pseudo-natural product structures for drug discovery purposes. However, despite the initial advances in this area, bioactivity reprogramming of multienzyme RiPP biosynthetic pathways remains a major challenge. Here, we report a platform for de novo discovery of functional thiopeptides based on reengineered biosynthesis of lactazole A, a RiPP natural product assembled by five biosynthetic enzymes. The platform combines in vitro biosynthesis of lactazole-like thiopeptides and mRNA display to prepare and screen large (≥1012) combinatorial libraries of pseudo-natural products. We demonstrate the utility of the developed protocols in an affinity selection against Traf2- and NCK-interacting kinase (TNIK), a protein involved in several cancers, which yielded a plethora of candidate thiopeptides. Of the 11 synthesized compounds, 9 had high affinities for the target kinase (best KD = 1.2 nM) and 10 inhibited its enzymatic activity (best Ki = 3 nM). X-ray structural analysis of the TNIK/thiopeptide interaction revealed the unique mode of substrate-competitive inhibition exhibited by two of the discovered compounds. The thiopeptides internalized to the cytosol of HEK293H cells as efficiently as the known cell-penetrating peptide Tat (4-6 µM). Accordingly, the most potent compound, TP15, inhibited TNIK in HCT116 cells. Altogether, our platform enables the exploration of pseudo-natural thiopeptides with favorable pharmacological properties in drug discovery applications.

NMR characterization of streptogramin B and L-156,587, a non-synergistic pair of the streptogramin family antibiotic complexes produced inductively by a combined culture of Streptomyces albogriseolus and Tsukamurella pulmonis.

The complete 1 H and 13 C NMR characterization of streptogramin B (1), the major component of a clinically important synergistic antibiotic complex, was presented for the first time, along with those of L-156,587 (2), a dehydrated congener of streptogramin A (3). Compounds 1 and 2 were not synergistic and produced by Streptomyces albogriseolus in co-culture with Tsukamurella pulmonis, which poses a question on the adaptive significance of the induced production of this antibiotic pair.

Amycolapeptins A and B, Cyclic Nonadepsipeptides Produced by Combined-culture of Amycolatopsis sp. and Tsukamurella pulmonis.

Two nonapeptide natural products, amycolapeptins A (1) and B (2) with a 22-membered cyclic depsipeptide skeleton, ß-hydroxytyrosine, and a highly modified side chain, which were not produced in a monoculture of the rare actinomycete Amycolatopsis sp. 26-4, were discovered in broth of its combined-culture with Tsukamurella pulmonis TP-B0596. The planar structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses (extensive 2D-NMR and MALDI-TOF MS/MS). The absolute configurations of component amino acids were unambiguously determined by the highly sensitive advanced Marfey's method we recently developed. Additionally, the structures of unstable/unusual moieties were corroborated by chemical synthesis and CD analysis.

Accurate Broadcasting of Substrate Fitness for Lactazole Biosynthetic Pathway from Reactivity-Profiling mRNA Display.

We report a method for the high-throughput reactivity profiling of genetically encoded libraries as a tool to study substrate fitness landscapes for RiPP (ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide) biosynthetic enzymes. This method allowed us to rapidly analyze the substrate preferences of the lactazole biosynthetic pathway using a saturation mutagenesis mRNA display library of lactazole precursor peptides. We demonstrate that the assay produces accurate and reproducible in vitro data, enabling the quantification of reaction yields with temporal resolution. Our results recapitulate the previously established knowledge on lactazole biosynthesis and expand it by identifying the extent of substrate promiscuity exhibited by the enzymes. This work lays a foundation for the construction and screening of mRNA display-based combinatorial thiopeptide libraries for the discovery of lactazole-inspired thiopeptides with de novo designed biological activities.

Promiscuous Enzymes Cooperate at the Substrate Level En Route to Lactazole A.

Enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) often have relaxed specificity profiles and are able to modify diverse substrates. When several such enzymes act together during precursor peptide maturation, a multitude of products can form, yet usually the biosynthesis converges on a single natural product. For the most part, the mechanisms controlling the integrity of RiPP assembly remain elusive. Here, we investigate the biosynthesis of lactazole A, a model thiopeptide produced by five promiscuous enzymes from a ribosomal precursor peptide. Using our in vitro thiopeptide production (FIT-Laz) system, we determine the order of biosynthetic events at the individual modification level and supplement this study with substrate scope analysis for participating enzymes. Our results reveal an unusual but well-defined assembly process where cyclodehydration, dehydroalanine formation, and azoline dehydrogenation events are intertwined due to minimal substrate recognition requirements characteristic of every lactazole enzyme. Additionally, each enzyme plays a role in directing LazBF-mediated dehydroalanine formation, which emerges as the central theme of the assembly process. Cyclodehydratase LazDE discriminates a single serine residue for azoline formation, leaving the remaining five as potential dehydratase substrates. Pyridine synthase LazC exerts kinetic control over LazBF to prevent the formation of overdehydrated thiopeptides, whereas the coupling of dehydrogenation to dehydroalanine installation impedes generation of underdehydrated products. Altogether, our results indicate that substrate-level cooperation between the biosynthetic enzymes maintains the integrity of lactazole assembly. This work advances our understanding of RiPP biosynthesis processes and facilitates thiopeptide bioengineering.

Identification of the common biosynthetic gene cluster for both antimicrobial streptoaminals and antifungal 5-alkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines.

5-Alkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines (5aTHQs) and streptoaminals (STAMs) are natural products isolated from the combined-culture of Streptomyces nigrescens HEK616 and Tsukamurella pulmonis TP-B0596. Despite their unique structures, their biosynthetic pathway has yet to be elucidated. In the present study, we conducted a feeding experiment using 13C-labeled acetates and demonstrated that 5aTHQs are likely synthesized by the action of polyketide synthase (PKS). Based on this observation, we identified the biosynthetic gene cluster for 5aTHQs. Interestingly, the same gene cluster was also responsible for the structurally-distinct STAMs. The gene cluster contains nine genes encoding one acyl carrier protein, two sets of ketosynthases (KSs) and chain length factors (CLFs), one aminotransferase/reductase bifunctional protein, two ketoreductases, and one thioesterase. KSs and CLFs are classified into the phylogenetically distinct clades from those of known type II PKSs. Heterologous expression of the biosynthetic genes and subsequent gene inactivation clearly indicated that all of the nine genes were required for the biosynthesis of both compounds. In the proposed biosynthetic pathway, chain elongation by PKS, reductive cleavage of a thioester bond, and subsequent transamination generate the core skeleton of both compounds. Differences in the oxidation states of the products result in a distinct cyclization mode to yield 5aTHQs and STAMs.

Activation of silent biosynthetic pathways and discovery of novel secondary metabolites in actinomycetes by co-culture with mycolic acid-containing bacteria.

Bacterial secondary metabolites (SM) are rich sources of drug leads, and in particular, numerous metabolites have been isolated from actinomycetes. It was revealed by recent genome sequence projects that actinomycetes harbor much more secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters (SM-BGCs) than previously expected. Nevertheless, large parts of SM-BGCs in actinomycetes are dormant and cryptic under the standard culture conditions. Therefore, a widely applicable methodology for cryptic SM-BGC activation is required to obtain novel SM. Recently, it was discovered that co-culturing with mycolic-acid-containing bacteria (MACB) widely activated cryptic SM-BGCs in actinomycetes. This "combined-culture" methodology (co-culture methodology using MACB as the partner of actinomycetes) is easily applicable for a broad range of actinomycetes, and indeed, 33 novel SM have been successfully obtained from 12 actinomycetes so far. In this review, the development, application, and mechanistic analysis of the combined-culture method were summarized.

Chemical Interactions of Cryptic Actinomycete Metabolite 5-Alkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines through Aggregate Formation.

Organisms often produce secondary metabolites as a mixture of biosynthetically related congeners. However, why are metabolites with minor chemical variations produced simultaneously? 5-Alkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines (5aTHQs) are small, lipophilic metabolites produced by Streptomyces nigrescens HEK616 when cultured with Tsukamurella pulmonis TP-B0596. A mixture of 5aTHQs forms aggregates that show enhanced membrane affinity and biological activity. The ability to form aggregates and membrane-binding activity is regulated by the length of the alkyl chains. Aggregates with long alkyl chains were too stable to fuse with lipid membranes. However, if inactive 5aTHQ congener was mixed with active congener, the mixture showed increased membrane affinity, enabling cellular entry and biological activity. Therefore, it is shown that sloppiness in a biosynthetic pathway, by which minor structural variations can be produced, is functionally rational, as the metabolites show synergistic action.

Catenulobactins A and B, Heterocyclic Peptides from Culturing Catenuloplanes sp. with a Mycolic Acid-Containing Bacterium.

The production of two new heterocyclic peptide isomers, catenulobactins A (1) and B (2), in cultures of Catenuloplanes sp. RD067331 was significantly increased when it was cocultured with a mycolic acid-containing bacterium. The planar structures and absolute configurations of the catenulobactins were determined based on NMR/MS and chiral-phase GC-MS analyses. Catenulobactin B (2) displayed Fe(III)-chelating activity and moderate cytotoxicity against P388 murine leukemia cells.

Mirilactams C-E, Novel Polycyclic Macrolactams Isolated from Combined-Culture of Actinosynnema mirum NBRC 14064 and Mycolic Acid-Containing Bacterium.

Mycolic acid-containing bacteria (MACB) are known to activate cryptic natural product biosynthesis in co-cultures with actinobacteria. We cultured Actinosynnema mirum NBRC 14064, a producer of the mono-cyclic polyene macrolactam mirilactam A (6), with the MACB Tsukamurella pulmonis TP-B0596. As a result, three novel compounds (mirilactams C-E, 1-3) were produced in the co-culture conditions. Compounds 1-3 were likely derived from 6 by epoxidation and subsequent spontaneous cyclization. The chemical structures and stereochemistries of 1-3 were determined by spectroscopic analyses (NMR and MS), conformational searches in the optimized potentials for liquid simulations-3 (OPLS3) force field, and calculations of electronic circular dichroism (ECD).

Insights into the Biosynthesis of Dehydroalanines in Goadsporin.

Dehydroalanines in goadsporin are proposed to be formed by GodF and GodG, which show slight homology to the N-terminal glutamylation and C-terminal elimination domains, respectively, of LanB, a class I lanthipeptide dehydratase. Although similar, separated-type LanBs are conserved among thiopeptides and indispensable for their biosynthesis and biological activities, these enzymes had not yet been characterized. Here, we identified goadsporin B, which has unmodified Ser4 and Ser14, from both godF and godG disruptants. The godG disruptant also produced goadsporin C, a glutamylated-Ser4 variant of goadsporin B. These results suggested that dehydroalanines are formed by glutamylation and glutamate elimination. NMR analysis revealed for the first time that the glutamyl group was attached to a serine via an ester bond, by the catalysis of LanB-type enzymes. Our findings provide insights into the function of separated-type LanBs involved in the biosynthesis of goadsporin and thiopeptides.

Production of a Novel Amide-Containing Polyene by Activating a Cryptic Biosynthetic Gene Cluster in Streptomyces sp. MSC090213JE08.

Streptomyces sp. MSC090213JE08 seems to have more than 20 cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites. We aimed to activate some of them by forced production of Streptomyces antibiotic regulatory protein (SARP) family transcriptional activators. We constructed seven recombinant strains, each of which contained a SARP gene under the control of a constitutive promoter, and subjected them to comparative metabolic profiling analysis. Four of the seven strains produced nine metabolites that were hardly detected in the control strains. We isolated a new metabolite (named ishigamide) from the SARP-7-expressing strain and determined its structure as 3-((2E,4E,6E,8E)-13-hydroxytetradeca-2,4,6,8-tetraenamido)propanoic acid. Genome scanning and gene disruption studies identified the ishigamide biosynthetic gene cluster adjacent to the SARP-7 gene. We think that a new subfamily of type II polyketide synthase is involved in the biosynthesis of the polyene structure of ishigamide.

Discovery and Total Synthesis of Streptoaminals: Antimicrobial [5,5]-Spirohemiaminals from the Combined-Culture of Streptomyces nigrescens and Tsukamurella pulmonis.

A series of lipidic spirohemiaminals, designated streptoaminals, is reported. These were discovered by surveying the unique molecular signatures identified in the mass spectrometry data of the combined-culture broth of Streptomyces nigrescens HEK616 and Tsukamurella pulmonis TP-B0596. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that streptoaminals appeared as a cluster of ion peaks, which were separated by 14 mass unit intervals, implying the presence of alkyl chains of different lengths. The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and total synthesis. Streptoaminals with globular structures showed broad antimicrobial activities, whereas the planar structures of the 5-alkyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines found in the same combined-culture did not. This work shows the application of microbes as reservoirs for a range of chemical scaffolds.

Niizalactams A-C, Multicyclic Macrolactams Isolated from Combined Culture of Streptomyces with Mycolic Acid-Containing Bacterium.

A terrestrial bacterium, Streptomyces sp. NZ-6, produced niizalactams A-C (1-3), unprecedented di- and tricyclic macrolactams, by coculturing with the mycolic acid-containing bacterium Tsukamurella pulmonis TP-B0596. Their complete structures, including absolute configurations, were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data and chemical derivatization. Their unique skeletons are proposed to be biosynthesized from a common 26-membered macrolactam intermediate by SN2 cyclization or an intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction.

Genetic approaches to generate hyper-producing strains of goadsporin: the relationships between productivity and gene duplication in secondary metabolite biosynthesis.

Improving the productivity of secondary metabolites is highly beneficial for the utilization of natural products. Here, we found that gene duplication of the goadsporin biosynthetic gene locus resulted in hyper-production. Goadsporin is a linear azole containing peptide that is biosynthesized via a ribosome-mediated pathway in Streptomyces sp. TP-A0584. Recombinant strains containing duplicated or triplicated goadsporin biosynthetic gene clusters produced 1.46- and 2.25-fold more goadsporin than the wild-type strain. In a surrogate host, Streptomyces lividans, chromosomal integration of one or two copies of the gene cluster led to 342.7 and 593.5 mg/L of goadsporin production. Expression of godI, a self-resistance gene, and of godR, a pathway-specific transcriptional regulator, under a constitutive promoter gave 0.79- and 2.12-fold higher goadsporin production than the wild-type strain. Our experiments indicated that a proportional relationship exists between goadsporin production per culture volume and the copy number of the biosynthetic gene cluster.

Transcriptionally induced nucleoid-associated protein-like ccr1 in combined-culture serves as a global effector of Streptomyces secondary metabolism.

Combined-cultures involving mycolic acid-containing bacteria (MACB) can stimulate secondary metabolite (SM) production in actinomycetes. In a prior investigation, we screened Streptomyces coelicolor JCM4020 mutants with diminished production of SMs, specifically undecylprodigiosin (RED), which was enhanced by introducing the MACB Tsukamurella pulmonis TP-B0596. In this study, we conducted mutational analysis that pinpointed the sco1842 gene, which we assigned the gene name ccr1 (combined-culture related regulatory protein no. 1), as a crucial factor in the deficient phenotype observed in the production of various major SMs in S. coelicolor A3(2). Notably, the Ccr1 (SCO1842) homolog was found to be highly conserved throughout the Streptomyces genome. Although Ccr1 lacked conserved motifs, in-depth examination revealed the presence of a helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif in the N-terminal region and a helicase C-terminal domain (HCTD) motif in the C-terminal region in some of its homologs. Ccr1 was predicted to be a nucleoid-associated protein (NAP), and its impact on gene transcription was validated by RNA-seq analysis that revealed genome-wide variations. Furthermore, RT-qPCR demonstrated that ccr1 was transcriptionally activated in combined-culture with T. pulmonis, which indicated that Ccr1 is involved in the response to bacterial interaction. We then investigated Streptomyces nigrescens HEK616 in combined-culture, and the knockout mutant of the ccr1 homolog displayed reduced production of streptoaminals and 5aTHQs. This finding reveals that the Ccr1 homolog in Streptomyces species is associated with SM production. Our study elucidates the existence of a new family of NAP-like proteins that evolved in Streptomyces species and play a pivotal role in SM production.