Two new cyclopeptides from the co-culture broth of two marine mangrove fungi and their antifungal activity.

BACKGROUND: The strategy that co-cultivation two microorganisms in a single confined environment were recently developed to generate new active natural products. In the study, two new cyclic tetrapeptides, cyclo (D-Pro-L-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Tyr) (1) and cyclo (Gly-L-Phe-L-Pro-L-Tyr) (2) were isolated from the co-culture broth of two mangrove fungi Phomopsis sp. K38 and Alternaria sp. E33. Their antifungal activity against Candida albicans, Gaeumannomyces graminis, Rhzioctonia cerealis, Helminthosporium sativum and Fusarium graminearum was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Different column chromatographic techniques with different solvent systems were used to separate the constituents of the n-butyl alcohol extract of the culture broth. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were identified by analysis of spectroscopic data (one-dimensional, two-dimensional - nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry) and Marfey's analytic method. Dilution method was used for the evaluation of antifungal activity. RESULTS: Compounds 1 and 2 were identified as cyclo (D-Pro-L-Tyr-L-Pro-L-Tyr) and cyclo (Gly-L-Phe-L-Pro-L-Tyr), respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 showed moderate to high antifungal activities as compared with the positive control. CONCLUSIONS: Compounds 1 and 2 are new cyclopeptides with moderate antifungal activity being worthy of consideration for the development and research of antifungal agents.

The utility of metabolomics in natural product and biomarker characterization.

BACKGROUND: Metabolomics is a well-established rapidly developing research field involving quantitative and qualitative metabolite assessment within biological systems. Recent improvements in metabolomics technologies reveal the unequivocal value of metabolomics tools in natural products discovery, gene-function analysis, systems biology and diagnostic platforms. SCOPE OF REVIEW: We review here some of the prominent metabolomics methodologies employed in data acquisition and analysis of natural products and disease-related biomarkers. MAJOR CONCLUSIONS: This review demonstrates that metabolomics represents a highly adaptable technology with diverse applications ranging from environmental toxicology to disease diagnosis. Metabolomic analysis is shown to provide a unique snapshot of the functional genetic status of an organism by examining its biochemical profile, with relevance toward resolving phylogenetic associations involving horizontal gene transfer and distinguishing subgroups of genera possessing high genetic homology, as well as an increasing role in both elucidating biosynthetic transformations of natural products and detecting preclinical biomarkers of numerous disease states. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: This review expands the interest in multiplatform combinatorial metabolomic analysis. The applications reviewed range from phylogenetic assignment, biosynthetic transformations of natural products, and the detection of preclinical biomarkers.

Dichlorodiaportinol A - A new chlorine-containing isocoumarin from an endophytic fungus Trichoderma sp. 09 from Myoporum bontioides A. Gray and its cytotoxic activity.

BACKGROUND: Myoporum bontioides A. Gray, an evergreen shrub from the Myoporaceae family, is a commonly used medicinal plant. Many studies have been conducted on the biologically active constituents of whole parts of M. bontioides. However, the endophytes of M. bontioides have not been intensively investigated. A new chlorine-containing isocoumarin, named dichlorodiaportinol A (1) was isolated from the endophytic fungus Trichoderma sp. 09 isolated from the root of M. bontioides. Its cytotoxic activity against human breast cancer (MCF-7) and human liver cancer (HepG2) cell lines was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Different open silica gel column chromatographic techniques with different solvent systems were used for the separation of the constituents of the ethyl acetate extract of the culture broth of the endophytic fungus Trichoderma sp. 09. The structure of compound one was identified by analysis of spectroscopic data [one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D)-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR) and Mass spectrometry (MS)]. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay method was used for the evaluation of cytotoxic activity of compound one against MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines. RESULTS: Compound one was identified as 3-(3,3-dichloro-2,3-dihydroxy-propyl)-8-hydroxy-6- methoxy-isochromen-1-one. It inhibited MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines, with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 17.8 and 39.6 µg/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compound one is a new chlorine-containing isocoumarin with moderate cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines. Thus, endophytes of M. bontioides are worthy of consideration for the development and research of antitumor agents.

Three new resveratrol derivatives from the mangrove endophytic fungus Alternaria sp.

Three new resveratrol derivatives, namely, resveratrodehydes A-C (1-3), were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Alternaria sp. R6. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by analysis of their MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data. All compounds showed broad-spectrum inhibitory activities against three human cancer cell lines including human breast MDA-MB-435, human liver HepG2, and human colon HCT-116 by MTT assay (IC50 < 50 µM). Among them, compounds 1 and 2 both exhibited marked cytotoxic activities against MDA-MB-435 and HCT-116 cell lines (IC50 < 10 µM). Additionally, compounds 1 and 3 showed moderate antioxidant activity by DPPH radical scavenging assay.

A new cyclopeptide with antifungal activity from the co-culture broth of two marine mangrove fungi.

A new cyclic tetrapeptide, cyclo-(L-leucyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-prolyl-D-leucyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline) (1), was isolated from the co-culture broth of two mangrove fungi Phomopsis sp. K38 and Alternaria sp. E33. The structure of 1 was determined by analysis of spectroscopic data and Marfey's analytic method. Primary bioassay demonstrated that compound 1 exhibited moderate to high inhibitory activity against four crop-threatening fungi including Gaeumannomyces graminis, Rhizoctonia cerealis, Helminthosporium sativum and Fusarium graminearum as compared with triadimefon.