A novel antiproliferative agent, phenylpyridineylbutenol, isolated from Streptomyces sp

Endophytic actinobacteria of Hymenachne amplexicaulis from the Brazilian Pantanal wetland produce compounds with antibacterial and antitumor activities

The increase in the number of deaths from infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria and cancer diseases highlights the need for new molecules with biological activity. Actinobacteria represent a potential source of new compounds, as these microorganisms have already produced a great diversity of clinically employed antibiotics. Endophytes from unexplored biomes, such as the Pantanal (the largest wetland in the world), can be a source of new molecules. Hymenachne amplexicaulis is among the unexplored native plants of the Pantanal in terms of its endophytic community. This plant is considered a weed in other countries due to its ability to adapt and compete with native plants, and there is evidence to suggest that the endophytic community of H. amplexicaulis plays an important role in this competitiveness. To explore its therapeutic potential, the present study isolated, identified (using partial sequence of the 16S rDNA) and bioprospected H. amplexicaulis endophytic actinobacteria. Ten isolates belonging to the genera Streptomyces, Microbispora, Leifsonia, and Verrucosispora were obtained from root fragments. The susceptibility profile of the isolates to the different classes of antibiotics was evaluated, with 80 % of the isolates showing resistance to the antibiotics Nalidixic Acid, Ampicillin, Chloramphenicol, Oxacillin, and Rifampicin. To assess antibacterial and antitumor activities, methanolic extracts were obtained by fermentation in SG culture medium at 36 °C at 180 rpm for 10 days. The extract produced from the S. albidoflavus CMRP4854 isolate was the only one to show activity against the Gram-negative bacterium Acinetobacter baumanii. Due to the great clinical importance of this pathogen and the difficulty in obtaining active compounds against it, the CMRP4854 isolate should be further investigated for the identification of active compounds and mode of action. We also emphasize the results obtained by the extract of the isolates Streptomyces albidoflavus CMRP4852 and Verrucosispora sp. CMRP4860 that presented antibacterial effect against Methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (MIC: 1.5 μg/mL and 13 μg/mL, respectively) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) (MIC: 40 μg/mL for both extracts). Extracts (200 μg/mL) of these two endophytes also showed selective cytotoxicity action against murine B16-F10 melanoma cells. However, the CMRP4852 extract also affected the density of normal cells. Due to these results, the crude extract of isolate CMRP4860 Verrucosispora sp., which was the only one that presented cytotoxicity and reduced cell density only in tumor cells, was selected for subsequent analysis involving scale-up fermentation of the CMRP4860 resulting in 9 fractions that were tested against both bacteria and tumor cells, with particular fractions showing promise and meriting further investigation. Taken together, the results of this study not only show for the first time that the endophytic community of H. amplexicaulis actinobacteria can produce secondary metabolites that potentially possess important antibacterial and cytotoxic properties, but also reinforce the pressing need to conserve biomes such as the Brazilian Pantanal.

A New Pyrrolosesquiterpene from the Terrestrial Streptomyces sp. Hd7-21

One new pyrrolosesquiterpene 1 was isolated from cultures of the soil actinomycete Streptomyces sp. Hd7-21. Its structure was elucidated by extensive MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic data analyses.

Structural elucidation and NMR assignments of two new pyrrolosesquiterpenes from Streptomyces sp. Hd7-21

Two new pyrrolosesquiterpenes were isolated from cultures of the soil actinomycete Streptomyces sp. Hd7-21. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses including MS and 1D and 2D NMR data. Their cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines were biologically evaluated.

Cell cycle arrest and cytochrome c-mediated apoptotic induction by MCS-5A is associated with up-regulation of p16(INK4a) in HL-60 cells

MCS-5A, an analog of sangivamycin, selectively inhibits the cyclin-dependent kinases CDK1 and 4 in HL-60 cells in vitro (IC(50): 9.6 and 8.8 1V, respectively), while weakly inhibiting other housekeeping protein kinases. MCS-5A effectively induces HL-60 cell cycle arrest at the G(1) and G(2)/M phases through direct inhibition of CDK1 and 4 activity. In addition, elevated expression of p16(INK4a) and a reduction in the level of hyperphosphorylated pRb showed that 3 1V MCS-5A also induces p16(INK4a)-mediated cell cycle arrest at the G(1) phase. Furthermore, apoptotic induction in MCS-5A-treated HL-60 cells is associated with the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which, in turn, results in the activation of procaspase-8, -9 and -3, and the cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). In addition, the involvement of p16(INK4a) in this apoptotic induction was demonstrated using A549 cells with a homozygous deletion of p16(INK4a). Based on these results, we conclude that MCS-5A is a candidate therapeutic agent for the treatment of human promyelocytic leukemia via the up-regulation of p16(INK4a).

Antibacterial activity of a disaccharide isolated from Streptomyces sp. strain JJ45 against Xanthomonas sp

Of the 316 actinomycetes strains isolated from various habitats, Streptomyces sp. strain JJ45 showed the strongest antibiotic activity against the plant pathogenic bacteria Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris and was thus chosen for further study. The 16S rRNA gene sequence (1500 bp) and rpoB gene partial sequence (306 bp) of Streptomyces strains JJ45A and JJ45B were determined. The respective strain JJ45B sequences exhibited 96.8% identity with the Streptococcus gelaticus 16S rRNA gene sequence and 98.4% identity with the Streptococcus vinaceus ATCC 27478 rpoB partial sequence. The fermentation broth of the JJ45B strain was extracted to find an inhibitor of bacterial growth. The distilled water extract showed the highest activity against pathogenic bacteria. The active molecule was isolated by column chromatography on polyacrylamide or silica gel, thin-layer chromatography, and HPLC. It showed growth inhibition activity only toward phytopathogenic Xanthomonas sp. The structure of the compound was identified as alpha-l-sorbofuranose (3-->2)-beta-D-altrofuranose based on the interpretation of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectra.