Triterpene glycosides from Antarctic sea cucumbers IV. Turquetoside A, a 3-O-methylquinovose containing disulfated tetraoside from the sea cucumber Staurocucumis turqueti (Vaney, 1906) (=Cucumaria spatha)

Triterpenoids

Covering: 2013. Previous review: Nat. Prod. Rep., 2015, 29, 1028-1065This review covers the isolation and structure determination of triterpenoids reported during 2013 including squalene derivatives, lanostanes, holostanes, cycloartanes, cucurbitanes, dammaranes, euphanes, tirucallanes, tetranortriterpenoids, quassinoids, lupanes, oleananes, friedelanes, ursanes, hopanes, serratanes, isomalabaricanes and saponins; 350 references are cited.

Secondary Metabolites from Polar Organisms

Polar organisms have been found to develop unique defences against the extreme environment environment, leading to the biosynthesis of novel molecules with diverse bioactivities. This review covers the 219 novel natural products described since 2001, from the Arctic and the Antarctic microoganisms, lichen, moss and marine faunas. The structures of the new compounds and details of the source organism, along with any relevant biological activities are presented. Where reported, synthetic and biosynthetic studies on the polar metabolites have also been included.

Marine natural products

This review covers the literature published in 2013 for marine natural products (MNPs), with 982 citations (644 for the period January to December 2013) referring to compounds isolated from marine microorganisms and phytoplankton, green, brown and red algae, sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms, mangroves and other intertidal plants and microorganisms. The emphasis is on new compounds (1163 for 2013), together with the relevant biological activities, source organisms and country of origin. Reviews, biosynthetic studies, first syntheses, and syntheses that lead to the revision of structures or stereochemistries, have been included.

Triterpene Glycosides of Sea Cucumbers (Holothuroidea, Echinodermata) as Taxonomic Markers

Triterpene glycosides are characteristic metabolites of sea cucumbers (Holothurioidea, Echinodermata). The majority of the glycosides belong to the holostane type {lanostane derivatives with an 18(20)-lactone}. Carbohydrate chains of these glycosides contain xylose, glucose, quinovose, 3- O-methylglucose, and, rarely, 3- O-methylxylose, 3- O-methylglucuronic acid, 3- O-methylquinovose, and 6- O-acetyl-glucose. The glycosides are specific for genera, groups of genera and even for species. The advantages and problems in the use of triterpene glycosides as taxonomic markers in the systematics of sea cucumbers are discussed.

Bioactive compounds derived from echinoderms

This is the first review paper devoted exclusively to natural compounds isolated from echinoderms with special emphasis on bioactive compounds.