Spirocyclic Drimanes from the Marine Fungus Stachybotrys sp. Strain MF347

A novel spirocyclic drimane coupled by two drimane fragment building blocks 2 and a new drimane 1 were identified in mycelia and culture broth of Stachybotrys sp. MF347. Their structures were established by spectroscopic means. This is the first example of spirocyclic drimane coupled by a spirodihydrobenzofuranlactam unit and a spirodihydroisobenzofuran unit; and the connecting position being N-C instead of an N and N connecting unit. Strain MF347 produced also the known spirocyclic drimanes stachybocin A (12) and stachybocin B (11) featured by two sesquiterpene-spirobenzofuran structural units connected by a lysine residue; the known spirocyclic drimanes chartarlactam O (5); chartarlactam K (6); F1839A (7); stachybotrylactam (8); stachybotramide (9); and 2α-acetoxystachybotrylactam acetate (10); as well as ilicicolin B (13), a known sesquiterpene. The relative configuration of two known spirobenzofuranlactams (3 and 4) was determined. All compounds were subjected to biological activity tests. The spirocyclic drimane 2, 11, and 12, as well as the sesquiterpene 13, exhibited antibacterial activity against the clinically relevant methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).     

Induced Marine Fungus Chondrostereum sp. as a Means of Producing New Sesquiterpenoids Chondrosterins I and J by Using Glycerol as the Carbon Source

Chondrostereum sp., a marine fungus isolated from a soft coral Sarcophyton tortuosum, can yield hirsutane framework sesquiterpenoids. However, the metabolites profiles vary dramatically with the composition change of the culture media. This fungus was cultured in a liquid medium containing glycerol as the carbon source, and two new metabolites, chondrosterins I and J (1 and 2), were obtained. Their structures were elucidated primarily based on MS, NMR and X-ray single-crystal diffraction data. By comparison with the known hirsutane sesquiterpenoids, chondrosterins I and J have unique structural features, including a methyl was migrated from C-2 to C-6, and the methyl at C-3 was carboxylated. Compound 2 exhibited potent cytotoxic activities against the cancer cell lines CNE-1 and CNE-2 with the IC₅₀ values of 1.32 and 0.56 μM.     

An Unusual Conformational Isomer of Verrucosidin Backbone from a Hydrothermal Vent Fungus,Penicillium sp. Y-50-10

A new verrucosidin derivative, methyl isoverrucosidinol (1), was isolated from the marine fungus Penicillium sp. Y-50-10, dwelling in sulfur rich sediment in the Kueishantao hydrothermal vents off Taiwan. The structure was established by spectroscopic means including HRMS and 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configuration was defined mainly by comparison of quantum chemical TDDFT calculated and experimental ECD spectra. Among hitherto known compounds with a verrucosidine backbone isolated from natural resource, compound 1 represents the first example of a new conformational isomer of its skeleton, exhibiting antibiotic activity against Bacillus subtilis with MIC value 32 μg/mL.     

Five New Secondary Metabolites Produced by a Marine-Associated Fungus,Daldinia eschscholzii

Five new compounds, including a benzopyran ribonic glycoside, daldiniside A (1), two isocoumarin ribonic glycosides, daldinisides B (2) and C (3), and two alkaloids, 1-(3-indolyl)-2R,3-dihydroxypropan-1-one (4) and 3-ethyl-2,5-pyrazinedipropanoic acid (5), along with five known compounds (6–10), were isolated from the EtOAc extract of the marine-associated fungus, Daldinia eschscholzii. Their structures were elucidated by extensive physicochemical and spectroscopic properties, besides comparison with literature data. The absolute configurations of compounds 1–3 were corroborated by chemical transformation, GC analysis and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Meanwhile, the absolute configuration of compound 4 and the planar structure of compound 6 were also determined based on the X-ray diffraction analysis. The cytotoxicity of compounds 1–10, antifungal and anti-HIV activities of compounds 1–5 and the in vitro assay for glucose consumption of compounds 1–3 were done in the anti-diabetic model, whereas none showed obvious activity.     

Five New Cytotoxic Metabolites from the Marine Fungus Neosartorya pseudofischeri

The marine fungus Neosartorya pseudofischeri was isolated from Acanthaster planci from the South China Sea. In a preliminary bioactivity screening, the crude methanol extract of the fungal mycelia showed significant inhibitory activity against the Sf9 cell line from the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda. Five novel compounds, including 5-olefin phenylpyropene A (1), 13-dehydroxylpyripyropene A (4), deacetylsesquiterpene (7), 5-formyl-6-hydroxy-8-isopropyl-2- naphthoic acid (9) and 6,8-dihydroxy-3-((1E,3E)-penta-1,3-dien-1-yl)isochroman-1-one (10), together with eleven known compounds, phenylpyropene A (2) and C (3), pyripyropene A (5), 7-deacetylpyripyropene A (6), (1S,2R,4aR,5R,8R,8aR)-1,8a-dihydroxy-2-acetoxy-3,8-dimethyl-5- (prop-1-en-2-yl)-1,2,4a, 5,6,7,8,8a-octahydronaphthalene (8), isochaetominine C (11), trichodermamide A (12), indolyl-3-acetic acid methyl ester (13), 1-acetyl-β-carboline (14), 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-hydroxyl-2-methyl-l,3,4-trioxopyrazino[l,2-a]-indole (15) and fumiquinazoline F (16), were obtained. The structures of these compounds were determined mainly by MS and NMR data. The absolute configuration of 9 was assigned by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Compounds 1–11 and 15 showed significant cytotoxicity against the Sf9 cells from S. frugiperda.     

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.     

Preparative Separation of Sulfur-Containing Diketopiperazines from Marine Fungus Cladosporium sp. Using High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography in Stepwise Elution Mode

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) was successively applied to the separation of three sulfur-containing diketopiperazines (DKPs) (including two new compounds cladosporin A (1) and cladosporin B (3), and a known compound haematocin (2)) from a marine fungus Cladosporium sp. The two-phase solvent system composed of n-hexane-ethyl acetate-methanol-water at (1:1:1:1, v/v) and (2:1:2:1, v/v), in stepwise elution mode, was used for HSCCC. The preparative HSCCC separation was performed on 300 mg of crude sample yielding 26.7 mg of compound 3 at a purity of over 95%, 53.6 mg of a mixture of compounds 1 and 2, which was further separated by preparative-HPLC yielding 14.3 mg of compound 1 and 25.4 mg of compound 2 each at a purity of over 95%. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods. The sulfur-containing DKPs suppressed the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2. The present work represents the first application of HSCCC in the efficient preparation of marine fungal natural products.     

Helicusin E,Isochromophilone X and Isochromophilone XI: New Chloroazaphilones Produced by the Fungus Bartalinia robillardoides Strain LF550

Microbial studies of the Mediterranean sponge Tethya aurantium led to the isolation of the fungus Bartalinia robillardoides strain LF550. The strain produced a number of secondary metabolites belonging to the chloroazaphilones. This is the first report on the isolation of chloroazaphilones of a fungal strain belonging to the genus Bartalinia. Besides some known compounds (helicusin A (1) and deacetylsclerotiorin (2)), three new chloroazaphilones (helicusin E (3); isochromophilone X (4) and isochromophilone XI (5)) and one new pentaketide (bartanolide (6)) were isolated. The structure elucidations were based on spectroscopic analyses. All isolated compounds revealed different biological activity spectra against a test panel of four bacteria: three fungi; two tumor cell lines and two enzymes.     

New Prenylxanthones from the Deep-Sea Derived Fungus Emericella sp. SCSIO 05240

Four new prenylxanthones, emerixanthones A–D (1–4), together with six known analogues (5–10), were isolated from the culture of the deep-sea sediment derived fungus Emericella sp. SCSIO 05240, which was identified on the basis of morphology and ITS sequence analysis. The newstructures were determined by NMR (¹H, ¹³C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, and ¹H-¹H COSY), MS, CD, and optical rotation analysis. The absolute configuration of prenylxanthone skeleton was also confirmed by the X-ray crystallographic analysis. Compounds 1 and 3 showed weak antibacterial activities, and 4 displayed mild antifungal activities against agricultural pathogens.     

Hyaluromycin,a New Hyaluronidase Inhibitor of Polyketide Origin from Marine Streptomyces sp.

Hyaluromycin (1), a new member of the rubromycin family of antibiotics, was isolated from the culture extract of a marine-derived Streptomyces sp. as a HAase inhibitor on the basis of HAase activity screening. The structure of 1 was elucidated through the interpretation of NMR data for the compound and its 3″-O-methyl derivative in combination with an incorporation experiment with [1,2-¹³C₂]acetate. The compound’s absolute configuration was determined by the comparison of its circular dichroism (CD) spectrum with those of other rubromycins. Hyaluromycin (1) consists of a γ-rubromycin core structure possessing a 2-amino-3-hydroxycyclopent-2-enone (C₅N) unit as an amide substituent of the carboxyl function; both structural units have been reported only from actinomycetes. Hyaluromycin (1) displayed approximately 25-fold more potent hyaluronidase inhibitory activity against hyaluronidase than did glycyrrhizin, a known inhibitor of plant origin.     

New Polyphenols from a Deep Sea Spiromastix sp. Fungus,and Their Antibacterial Activities

Eleven new polyphenols namely spiromastols A–K (1–11) were isolated from the fermentation broth of a deep sea-derived fungus Spiromastix sp. MCCC 3A00308. Their structures were determined by extensive NMR data and mass spectroscopic analysis in association with chemical conversion. The structures are classified as diphenyl ethers, diphenyl esters and isocoumarin derivatives, while the n-propyl group in the analogues is rarely found in natural products. Compounds 1–3 exhibited potent inhibitory effects against a panel of bacterial strains, including Xanthomanes vesicatoria, Pseudomonas lachrymans, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Ralstonia solanacearum, Bacillus thuringensis, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.25 to 4 µg/mL. The structure-activity relationships are discussed, while the polychlorinated analogues 1–3 are assumed to be a promising structural model for further development as antibacterial agents.     

Lindgomycin,an Unusual Antibiotic Polyketide from a Marine Fungus of the Lindgomycetaceae

An unusual polyketide with a new carbon skeleton, lindgomycin (1), and the recently described ascosetin (2) were extracted from mycelia and culture broth of different Lindgomycetaceae strains, which were isolated from a sponge of the Kiel Fjord in the Baltic Sea (Germany) and from the Antarctic. Their structures were established by spectroscopic means. In the new polyketide, two distinct domains, a bicyclic hydrocarbon and a tetramic acid, are connected by a bridging carbonyl. The tetramic acid substructure of compound 1 was proved to possess a unique 5-benzylpyrrolidine-2,4-dione unit. The combination of 5-benzylpyrrolidine-2,4-dione of compound 1 in its tetramic acid half and 3-methylbut-3-enoic acid pendant in its decalin half allow the assignment of a new carbon skeleton. The new compound 1 and ascosetin showed antibiotic activities with IC₅₀ value of 5.1 (±0.2) µM and 3.2 (±0.4) μM, respectively, against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.     

Potential Chemopreventive Activity of a New Macrolide Antibiotic from a Marine-Derived Micromonospora sp

Agents capable of inducing phase II enzymes such as quinone reductase 1 (QR1) are known to have the potential of mediating cancer chemopreventive activity. As part of a program to discover novel phase II enzyme-inducing molecules, we identified a marine-derived actinomycete strain (CNJ-878) that exhibited activity with cultured Hepa 1c1c7 cells. Based on this activity, a new macrolide, juvenimicin C (1), as well as 5-O-α-l-rhamnosyltylactone (2), were isolated from the culture broth of a Micromonospora sp. Compound 1 enhanced QR1 enzyme activity and glutathione levels by two-fold with CD values of 10.1 and 27.7 μM, respectively. In addition, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase activities were elevated. This is the first reported member of the macrolide class of antibiotics found to mediate these responses.     

Pseudaboydins A and B: Novel Isobenzofuranone Derivatives from Marine Fungus Pseudallescheria boydii Associated with Starfish Acanthaster planci

Two novel isobenzofuranone derivatives, pseudaboydins A (1) and B (2), along with five known compounds, including (R)-2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2,3-dihydro-5-hydroxybenzofuran (3), (R)-2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2,3-dihydro-5-methoxybenzofuran (4), 3,3′-dihydroxy-5,5′-dimethyldiphenyl ether (5), 3-(3-methoxy-5-methylphenoxy)-5-methylphenol (6) and (−)-regiolone (7), were isolated from the culture broth of the marine fungus, Pseudallescheria boydii, associated with the starfish, Acanthaster planci. Their structures were elucidated primarily based on NMR and MS data. The absolute configurations of 1–4 were determined by CD spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of 1–4 were evaluated. Pseudaboydin A (1) showed moderate cytotoxic activity against human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line HONE1, human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line SUNE1 and human glandular lung cancer cell line GLC82 with IC₅₀ values of 37.1, 46.5 and 87.2 μM, respectively.     

Four New Chloro-Eremophilane Sesquiterpenes from an Antarctic Deep-Sea Derived Fungus,Penicillium sp. PR19N-1

A new chloro-trinoreremophilane sesquiterpene 1, three new chlorinated eremophilane sesquiterpenes 2–4, together with a known compound, eremofortine C (5), were isolated from an Antarctic deep-sea derived fungus, Penicillium sp. PR19N-1. Structures were established using IR, HRMS, 1D and 2D NMR techniques. In addition, the plausible metabolic network of these isolated products is proposed. Compound 1 showed moderate cytotoxic activity against HL-60 and A549 cancer cell lines.     

New Isocoumarin Derivatives and Meroterpenoids from the Marine Sponge-Associated Fungus Aspergillus similanensis sp. nov. KUFA 0013

Two new isocoumarin derivatives, including a new 5-hydroxy-8-methyl-2H, 6H-pyrano[3,4-g]chromen-2,6-dione (1) and 6,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethylisocoumarin (2b), a new chevalone derivative, named chevalone E (3), and a new natural product pyripyropene S (6) were isolated together with 6, 8-dihydroxy-3-methylisocoumarin (2a), reticulol (2c), p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, chevalone B, chevalone C, S14-95 (4), and pyripyropene E (5) from the ethyl acetate extract of the undescribed marine sponge-associated fungus Aspergillus similanensis KUFA 0013. The structures of the new compounds were established based on 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis, and in the case of compound 3, X-ray analysis was used to confirm its structure and the absolute configuration of its stereogenic carbons. Compounds 1, 2a–c and 3–6 were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, and multidrug-resistant isolates from the environment. Chevalone E (3) was found to show synergism with the antibiotic oxacillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).     

Spirobisnaphthalenes from the Mangrove-Derived Fungus Rhytidhysteron sp. AS21B

Three new spirobisnaphthalenes (1–3) were isolated from the mangrove-derived fungus Rhytidhysteron sp., together with five known derivatives (4–8). The structures of the compounds were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data, and the relative configurations of their stereogenic carbons were determined by a single-crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. Compounds 3–5 displayed cytotoxicity against both cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and CaSki, while 2 was active only on CaSKi cells.     

MDN-0170, a New Napyradiomycin from Streptomyces sp. Strain CA-271078

A new napyradiomycin, MDN-0170 (1), was isolated from the culture broth of the marine-derived actinomycete strain CA-271078, together with three known related compounds identified as 4-dehydro-4a-dechloronapyradiomycin A1 (2), napyradiomycin A1 (3) and 3-chloro-6,8-dihydroxy-8-α-lapachone (4). The structure of the new compound was determined using a combination of spectroscopic techniques, including 1D and 2D NMR and electrospray-time of flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF MS). The relative configuration of compound 1, which contains two independent stereoclusters, has been established by molecular modelling in combination with nOe and coupling constant analyses. Biosynthetic arguments also allowed us to propose its absolute stereochemistry. The antimicrobial properties of the compounds isolated were evaluated against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Candida albicans. The potent bioactivity previously reported for compounds 2 and 3 against methicillin-sensitive S. aureus has been extended to methicillin-resistant strains in this report.     

Antibacterial and Antifungal Compounds from Marine Fungi

This paper reviews 116 new compounds with antifungal or antibacterial activities as well as 169 other known antimicrobial compounds, with a specific focus on January 2010 through March 2015. Furthermore, the phylogeny of the fungi producing these antibacterial or antifungal compounds was analyzed. The new methods used to isolate marine fungi that possess antibacterial or antifungal activities as well as the relationship between structure and activity are shown in this review.     

Peniciadametizine A,a Dithiodiketopiperazine with a Unique Spiro[furan-2,7'-pyrazino[1,2-b][1,2]oxazine] Skeleton,and a Related Analogue,Peniciadametizine B,from the Marine Sponge-Derived Fungus Penicillium adametzioides

Peniciadametizine A (1); a new dithiodiketopiperazine derivative possessing a unique spiro[furan-2,7''-pyrazino[1,2-b][1,2]oxazine] skeleton, together with a highly oxygenated new analogue, peniciadametizine B (2); as well as two known compounds, brasiliamide A (3); and viridicatumtoxin (4), were isolated and identified from Penicillium adametzioides AS-53, a fungus obtained from an unidentified marine sponge. The unambiguous assignment of the relative and absolute configuration for the spiro center C-2 of compound 1 was solved by the combination of NMR and ECD measurements with Density-Functional Theory (DFT) conformational analysis and Time-Dependent Density-Functional Theory-Electronic Circular Dichroism (TDDFT-ECD) calculations. The spiro[furan-2,7''-pyrazino[1,2-b][1,2]oxazine] skeleton of 1 has not been reported yet among natural products and the biosynthetic pathway for 1 and 2 was discussed. Compounds 1 and 2 showed inhibitory activity against the pathogenic fungus Alternaria brassicae.