Expanding the Chemical Diversity of Fasamycin Via Genome Mining and Biocatalysis

A Survey of Recently Discovered Naturally Occurring Organohalogen Compounds

The discovery of naturally occurring organohalogen compounds has increased astronomically in the 55 years since they were first discovered─from fewer than 50 in 1968 to a combined 7,958 described examples in three comprehensive reviews. The present survey, which covers the period 2021-2023, brings the number of known natural organohalogens to approximately 8,400. The organization is according to species origin, and coverage includes marine and terrestrial plants, fungi, bacteria, marine sponges, corals, cyanobacteria, tunicates, and other marine organisms.

An unusual aromatase/cyclase programs the formation of the phenyldimethylanthrone framework in anthrabenzoxocinones and fasamycin

Aromatic polyketides are renowned for their wide-ranging pharmaceutical activities. Their structural diversity is mainly produced via modification of limited types of basic frameworks. In this study, we characterized the biosynthesis of a unique basic aromatic framework, phenyldimethylanthrone (PDA) found in (+)/(-)-anthrabenzoxocinones (ABXs) and fasamycin (FAS). Its biosynthesis employs a methyltransferase (Abx(+)M/Abx(-)M/FasT) and an unusual TcmI-like aromatase/cyclase (ARO/CYC, Abx(+)D/Abx(-)D/FasL) as well as a nonessential helper ARO/CYC (Abx(+)C/Abx(-)C/FasD) to catalyze the aromatization/cyclization of polyketide chain, leading to the formation of all four aromatic rings of the PDA framework, including the C9 to C14 ring and a rare angular benzene ring. Biochemical and structural analysis of Abx(+)D reveals a unique loop region, giving rise to its distinct acyl carrier protein-dependent specificity compared to other conventional TcmI-type ARO/CYCs, all of which impose on free molecules. Mutagenic analysis discloses critical residues of Abx(+)D for its catalytic activity and indicates that the size and shape of its interior pocket determine the orientation of aromatization/cyclization. This study unveils the tetracyclic and non-TcmN type C9 to C14 ARO/CYC, significantly expanding our cognition of ARO/CYCs and the biosynthesis of aromatic polyketide framework.

Development of Integrated Vectors with Strong Constitutive Promoters for High-Yield Antibiotic Production in Mangrove-Derived Streptomyces

It is important to improve the production of bioactive secondary products for drug development. The Escherichia coli-Streptomyces shuttle vector pSET152 and its derived vector pIB139 containing a strong constitutive promoter ermEp* are commonly used as integrative vectors in actinomycetes. Four new integrative vectors carrying the strong constitutive promoter kasOp*, hrdBp, SCO5768p, and SP44, respectively, were constructed and proven to be functional in different mangrove-derived Streptomyces host strains by using kanamycin resistance gene neo as a reporter. Some biosynthetic genes of elaiophylins, azalomycin Fs, and armeniaspirols were selected and inserted into these vectors to overexpress in their producers including Streptomyces sp. 219807, Streptomyces sp. 211726, and S. armeniacus DSM 43125, resulting in an approximately 1.1-1.4-fold enhancement of the antibiotic yields.

Anti-MRSA Dimeric and Brominated Phenyltetracenoids Produced by Streptomyces morookaense SC1169

Eleven new phenyltetracenoid polyketides, streptovertimycins U (1) and V (2), 14-bromo-streptovertidione (3), streptovertimycins W-Y (4-6), and streptovertimycins Z1-Z5 (7-11), together with the known congeners fasamycins R (12) and S (13) and accramycins A (14) and B (15), were isolated from the NaBr-supplemented rice-grown cultures of Streptomyces morookaense SC1169. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and theoretical computations of ECD spectra. Compounds 1 and 2 are methylene-bridged dimers of accramycin A, and compounds 3 and 7-11 are brominated fasamycin congeners. Compounds 5 and 8-14 exhibited activity against the drug-resistant bacteria MRSA and VRE (MIC = 0.6-5.0 μg/mL), and the dimer 1 displayed activity against MRSA (MIC = 2.5 μg/mL). Compounds 6-15 showed cytotoxicity against the human carcinoma A549, HeLa, HepG2, and MCF-7 cells in the IC50 range between 1.7 and 9.2 μM.

Interplay of emerging and established technologies drives innovation in natural product antibiotic discovery

A continued rise of antibiotic resistance and shortages of effective antibiotics necessitate the discovery and development of new antibiotics with novel modes of action (MoAs) against resistant pathogens. While natural products remain the best resource for antibiotic discovery, their exploration faces many challenges, including (i) unknown MoAs, (ii) high rediscovery rates, (iii) tedious isolation and structure elucidation, and (iv) insufficient production for further development. We have identified recent innovations in screening methods, microbiology, bioinformatics, and metabolomics technologies, as well as natural product-inspired synthesis and synthetic biology, that have contributed to new natural product antibiotics in the past two years. We highlight their interplay as the key element for successful applications, driving future opportunities to increase the pool of natural product-based antibacterial antibiotics.