Total synthesis studies on macrocyclic pipecolic acid natural products: FK506, the antascomicins and rapamycin

Bioengineering of Anti-Inflammatory Natural Products

Inflammatory processes occur as a generic response of the immune system and can be triggered by various factors, such as infection with pathogenic microorganisms or damaged tissue. Due to the complexity of the inflammation process and its role in common diseases like asthma, cancer, skin disorders or Alzheimer's disease, anti-inflammatory drugs are of high pharmaceutical interest. Nature is a rich source for compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. Several studies have focused on the structural optimization of natural products to improve their pharmacological properties. As derivatization through total synthesis is often laborious with low yields and limited stereoselectivity, the use of biosynthetic, enzyme-driven reactions is an attractive alternative for synthesizing and modifying complex bioactive molecules. In this minireview, we present an outline of the biotechnological methods used to derivatize anti-inflammatory natural products, including precursor-directed biosynthesis, mutasynthesis, combinatorial biosynthesis, as well as whole-cell and in vitro biotransformation.

dRNA-seq transcriptional profiling of the FK506 biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces tsukubaensis NRRL18488 and general analysis of the transcriptome

FK506 (tacrolimus) is a valuable immunosuppressant produced by several Streptomyces strains. In the genome of the wild type producer Streptomyces tsukubaensis NRRL18488, FK506 biosynthesis is encoded by a gene cluster that spans 83.5 (kb). A whole transcriptome differential shotgun sequencing (dRNA-seq) of S. tsukubaensis was performed to analyze transcription at 2 different time points; before and during active FK506 production. In total, 8,914 transcription start sites were identified in either condition, which enabled precise determination of the 5'-UTR length of the corresponding transcripts as well as the identification of 2 consensus sequence motifs in the promoter regions. The transcription start sites of all gene operons within the FK506 cluster were identified, including 3 examples of leaderless RNA transcripts. These data provide detailed insight into the transcription of the FK506 biosynthetic gene cluster to support future regulatory studies, genetic manipulation, and industrial production.

Neurotrophic natural products: chemistry and biology

Neurodegenerative diseases and spinal cord injury affect approximately 50 million people worldwide, bringing the total healthcare cost to over 600 billion dollars per year. Nervous system growth factors, that is, neurotrophins, are a potential solution to these disorders, since they could promote nerve regeneration. An average of 500 publications per year attests to the significance of neurotrophins in biomedical sciences and underlines their potential for therapeutic applications. Nonetheless, the poor pharmacokinetic profile of neurotrophins severely restricts their clinical use. On the other hand, small molecules that modulate neurotrophic activity offer a promising therapeutic approach against neurological disorders. Nature has provided an impressive array of natural products that have potent neurotrophic activities. This Review highlights the current synthetic strategies toward these compounds and summarizes their ability to induce neuronal growth and rehabilitation. It is anticipated that neurotrophic natural products could be used not only as starting points in drug design but also as tools to study the next frontier in biomedical sciences: the brain activity map project.

Designed biosynthesis of 36-methyl-FK506 by polyketide precursor pathway engineering

The polyketide synthase (PKS) biosynthetic code has recently expanded to include a newly recognized group of extender unit substrates derived from α,β-unsaturated acyl-CoA molecules that deliver diverse side chain chemistry to polyketide backbones. Herein we report the identification of a three-gene operon responsible for the biosynthesis of the PKS building block isobutyrylmalonyl-CoA associated with the macrolide ansalactam A from the marine bacterium Streptomyces sp. CNH189. Using a synthetic biology approach, we engineered the production of unnatural 36-methyl-FK506 in Streptomyces sp. KCTC 11604BP by incorporating the branched extender unit into FK506 biosynthesis in place of its natural C-21 allyl side chain, which has been shown to be critical for FK506's potent immunosuppressant and neurite outgrowth activities.

Synthesis of the C21-C34 fragment of antascomicin B

The C21-C34 fragment of the potent FKBP12-binding macrolide antascomicin B was prepared using Ireland-Claisen and allylic diazene rearrangements to establish the C26/C27 and the C23 stereocenters, respectively. Directed hydrogenation installed the C29 β-configuration. The fragment possesses 7 of the 11 fixed stereocenters contained in the natural product.