RK-805, an endothelial-cell-growth inhibitor produced by Neosartorya sp., and a docking model with methionine aminopeptidase-2

Ascosteroside D, a new mitochondrial respiration inhibitor discovered by pesticidal screening using insect ADP/ATP carrier protein-expressing Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A new lanostane-type triterpenoid, ascosteroside D, was isolated from a fungus, Aspergillus sp. FKI-6682. It inhibited insect ADP/ATP carrier protein (AAC)-expressing Saccharomyces cerevisiae in glycerol-containing medium, but did not inhibit Δaac S. cerevisiae in glucose-containing medium. It is hypothesized that ascosteroside D inhibits ATP production in mitochondria.The Journal of Antibiotics advance online publication, 11 October 2017; doi:10.1038/ja.2017.118.

Decatamariic acid, a new mitochondrial respiration inhibitor discovered by pesticidal screening using drug-sensitive Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A new decalin, decatamariic acid, was isolated from a cultured broth of the fungus Aspergillus tamarii FKI-6817. Its absolute configuration was elucidated by NMR and electronic circular dichroism. Decatamariic acid (10 μM) elicited ~50% inhibition of the ATP production in mitochondria isolated from wild-type Saccharomyces cerevisiae without affecting the activities of respiratory enzymes. The action manner of this compound may be interesting as a possible seed for new pesticides.

Examining the evolution of the regulatory circuit controlling secondary metabolism and development in the fungal genus Aspergillus

Filamentous fungi produce diverse secondary metabolites (SMs) essential to their ecology and adaptation. Although each SM is typically produced by only a handful of species, global SM production is governed by widely conserved transcriptional regulators in conjunction with other cellular processes, such as development. We examined the interplay between the taxonomic narrowness of SM distribution and the broad conservation of global regulation of SM and development in Aspergillus, a diverse fungal genus whose members produce well-known SMs such as penicillin and gliotoxin. Evolutionary analysis of the 2,124 genes comprising the 262 SM pathways in four Aspergillus species showed that most SM pathways were species-specific, that the number of SM gene orthologs was significantly lower than that of orthologs in primary metabolism, and that the few conserved SM orthologs typically belonged to non-homologous SM pathways. RNA sequencing of two master transcriptional regulators of SM and development, veA and mtfA, showed that the effects of deletion of each gene, especially veA, on SM pathway regulation were similar in A. fumigatus and A. nidulans, even though the underlying genes and pathways regulated in each species differed. In contrast, examination of the role of these two regulators in development, where 94% of the underlying genes are conserved in both species showed that whereas the role of veA is conserved, mtfA regulates development in the homothallic A. nidulans but not in the heterothallic A. fumigatus. Thus, the regulation of these highly conserved developmental genes is divergent, whereas-despite minimal conservation of target genes and pathways-the global regulation of SM production is largely conserved. We suggest that the evolution of the transcriptional regulation of secondary metabolism in Aspergillus represents a novel type of regulatory circuit rewiring and hypothesize that it has been largely driven by the dramatic turnover of the target genes involved in the process.

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).

Generation of complexity in fungal terpene biosynthesis: discovery of a multifunctional cytochrome P450 in the fumagillin pathway

Fumagillin (1), a meroterpenoid from Aspergillus fumigatus, is known for its antiangiogenic activity due to binding to human methionine aminopeptidase 2. 1 has a highly oxygenated structure containing a penta-substituted cyclohexane that is generated by oxidative cleavage of the bicyclic sesquiterpene β-trans-bergamotene. The chemical nature, order, and biochemical mechanism of all the oxygenative tailoring reactions has remained enigmatic despite the identification of the biosynthetic gene cluster and the use of targeted-gene deletion experiments. Here, we report the identification and characterization of three oxygenases from the fumagillin biosynthetic pathway, including a multifunctional cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, a hydroxylating nonheme-iron-dependent dioxygenase, and an ABM family monooxygenase for oxidative cleavage of the polyketide moiety. Most significantly, the P450 monooxygenase is shown to catalyze successive hydroxylation, bicyclic ring-opening, and two epoxidations that generate the sesquiterpenoid core skeleton of 1. We also characterized a truncated polyketide synthase with a ketoreductase function that controls the configuration at C-5 of hydroxylated intermediates.

Prototype of an intertwined secondary-metabolite supercluster

The hallmark trait of fungal secondary-metabolite gene clusters is well established, consisting of contiguous enzymatic and often regulatory gene(s) devoted to the production of a metabolite of a specific chemical class. Unexpectedly, we have found a deviation from this motif in a subtelomeric region of Aspergillus fumigatus. This region, under the control of the master regulator of secondary metabolism, LaeA, contains, in its entirety, the genetic machinery for three natural products (fumitremorgin, fumagillin, and pseurotin), where genes for fumagillin and pseurotin are physically intertwined in a single supercluster. Deletions of 29 adjoining genes revealed that fumagillin and pseurotin are coregulated by the supercluster-embedded regulatory gene with biosynthetic genes belonging to one of the two metabolic pathways in a noncontiguous manner. Comparative genomics indicates the fumagillin/pseurotin supercluster is maintained in a rapidly evolving region of diverse fungal genomes. This blended design confounds predictions from established secondary-metabolite cluster search algorithms and provides an expanded view of natural product evolution.

Metastasis promoter S100A4 is a potentially valuable molecular target for cancer therapy

The growth, invasion and metastatic spread of cancer have been identified with the deregulation of cell proliferation, altered intercellular and cell-substratum adhesion and enhanced motility and the deposition of disseminated cancer cells at distant sites. The identification of therapeutic targets for cancer is crucial to human welfare. Drug development, molecular modelling and design of effective drugs greatly depend upon the identification of suitable therapeutic targets. Several genetic determinants relating to proliferation and growth, invasion and metastasis have been identified. S100A4 appears to be able to activate and integrate pathways to generate the phenotypic responses that are characteristic of cancer. S100A4 signalling can focus on factors associated with normal and aberrant proliferation, apoptosis and growth, and differentiation. It is able to activate signalling pathways leading to the remodelling of the cell membrane and the extracellular matrix; modulation of cytoskeletal dynamics, acquisition of invasiveness and induction of angiogenesis. Therefore S100A4 is arguably a molecular target of considerable potential possessing a wide ranging biological activity that can alter and regulate the major phenotypic features of cancer. The evolution of an appropriate strategy that permits the identification of therapeutic targets most likely to be effective in the disease process without unduly affecting normal biological processes and function is an incontrovertible imperative. By virtue of its ability to activate interacting and multi-functional signalling systems, S100A4 appears to offer suitable targets for developing new therapeutic procedures. Some effectors of the S100A4-activated pathways might also lend themselves as foci of therapeutic interest.

Azaspirene, a fungal product, inhibits angiogenesis by blocking Raf-1 activation

Angiogenesis is an inevitable event in tumor progression and metastasis, and thus has been a compelling target for cancer therapy in recent years. Effective inhibition of tumor progression and metastasis could become a promising way to treat tumor-induced angiogenesis. We discovered that a fungus, Neosartorya sp., isolated from a soil sample, produced a new angiogenesis inhibitor, which we designated azaspirene. Azaspirene was previously shown to inhibit human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) migration induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at an effective dose, 100% of 27 micromol/L without significant cell toxicity. In the present study, we investigated the antiangiogenic activity of azaspirene in vivo. Azaspirene treatment reduced the number of tumor-induced blood vessels. Administration of azaspirene at 30 microg/egg resulted in inhibition of angiogenesis (23.6-45.3% maximum inhibition relative to the controls) in a chicken chorioallantoic membrane assay. Next, we elucidated the molecular mechanism of antiangiogenesis of azaspirene. We investigated the effects of azaspirene on VEGF-induced activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in HUVEC. In vitro experiments indicated that azaspirene suppressed Raf-1 activation induced by VEGF without affecting the activation of kinase insert domain-containing receptor/fetal liver kinase 1 (VEGF receptor 2). Additionally, azaspirene preferentially inhibited the growth of HUVEC but not that of the non-vascular endothelial cells NIH3T3, HeLa, MSS31, and MCF-7. Taken together, these results demonstrate that azaspirene is a novel inhibitor of angiogenesis and Raf-1 activation that contains a unique carbon skeleton in its molecular structure.

RK-95113, a new angiogenesis inhibitor produced by Aspergillus fumigatus

We found that the strain Aspergillus fumigatus var. fumigatus RK95-113 produced a new angiogenesis inhibitor, RK-95113. Spectroscopic analyses identified the structure of RK-95113 as a new fumagillin-related small molecule. RK-95113 preferentially inhibited the growth of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) rather than that of human normal fibroblasts in cell proliferation assays and blocked endothlial cell migration induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Fumagillin suppresses HIV-1 infection of macrophages through the inhibition of Vpr activity

HIV-1 viral protein R (Vpr) is one of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 encoded proteins that have important roles in viral pathogenesis. However, no clinical drug for AIDS therapy that targets Vpr has been developed. Here, we have established a screening system to isolate Vpr inhibitors using budding yeast cells. We purified a Vpr inhibitory compound from fungal metabolites and identified it as fumagillin, a chemical already known to be a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis. Fumagillin not only reversed the growth inhibitory activity of Vpr in yeast and human cells, but also inhibited Vpr-dependent viral gene expression upon the infection of human macrophages.

Bastadin 6, a spongean brominated tyrosine derivative, inhibits tumor angiogenesis by inducing selective apoptosis to endothelial cells

Bastadin 6, a macrocyclic tetramer of a brominated tyrosine derivative, was isolated from a marine sponge and its anti-angiogenic activity was evaluated. Bastadin 6 was found to inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)- or basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)-dependent proliferation (IC50=0.052 micromol/l) of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) 20- to 100-fold selectively in comparison with normal fibroblast (3Y1) or several tumor cells (KB3-1, K562 and Neuro2A). Bastadin 6 also inhibited VEGF- or bFGF-induced tubular formation (0.1 micromol/l, 6 h treatment) and VEGF-induced migration (1 micromol/l, 4 h treatment) of HUVECs. Moreover, bastadin 6 almost completely blocked VEGF- or bFGF-induced in vivo neovascularization in the mice corneal assay and suppressed growth of s.c. inoculated A431 solid tumor in nude mice (100 mg/kg, i.p.). Bastadin 6 induced cell death of HUVECs with an apoptotic phenotype, whereas it showed no effect on the VEGF-induced auto-phosphorylation of VEGF receptors Flt-1 and KDR/Flk-1. These results suggest that the anti-angiogenic effect of bastadin 6 is closely related to selective induction activity of apoptosis against endothelial cells.

Epoxytwinol A, a novel unique angiogenesis inhibitor with C2 symmetry, produced by a fungus

We isolated a novel unique pentaketide dimer designated as epoxytwinol A from the fermentation broth of a fungus. The structure of epoxytwinol A was determined to have a new carbon skeleton with C(2) symmetry by elucidation of spectroscopic evidence. Epoxytwinol A inhibited endothelial cell migration stimulated by vascular endothelial growth factor (ED(100)= 2.6 microM).

Total Synthesis of Epoxyquinols A, B, and C and Epoxytwinol A and the Reactivity of a 2H-Pyran Derivative as the Diene Component in the Diels−Alder Reaction

Full details of two versions of the total synthesis of epoxyquinols A, B, and C and epoxytwinol A (RKB-3564D) are described. In the first-generation synthesis, the HfCl(4)-mediated diastereoselective Diels-Alder reaction of furan with Corey's chiral auxiliary has been developed. In the second-generation synthesis, a chromatography-free preparation of an iodolactone, by using acryloyl chloride as the dienophile in the Diels-Alder reaction of furan, and the lipase-mediated kinetic resolution of a cyclohexenol derivative have been developed. This second-generation synthesis is suitable for large-scale preparation. A biomimetic cascade reaction involving oxidation, 6pi-electrocyclization, and then Diels-Alder dimerization is the key reaction in the formation of the complex heptacyclic structure of epoxyquinols A, B, and C. Epoxytwinol A is synthesized by the cascade reaction composed of oxidation, 6pi-electrocyclization, and formal [4 + 4] cycloaddition reactions. A 2H-pyran, generated by oxidation/6pi-electrocyclization, acts as a good diene, reacting with several dienophiles to afford polycyclic compounds in one step. An azapentacyclic compound is synthesized by a similar cascade reaction composed of the four successive steps: oxidation, imine formation, 6pi-azaelectrocyclization, and Diels-Alder dimerization.