Synthesis studies toward chloroazaphilone and vinylogous gamma-pyridones: two common natural product core structures

Mechanism of Unexpected In-Trans Post-PKS Polyketide Reduction in Cochliodone Biosynthesis

Cochliodone A, a dimeric azaphilone-type compound, is the major product and one of many natural products produced by Chaetomium globosum, a filamentous fungus. Cochliodone A exerts antimalarial and antimycobacterial activities in addition to being cytotoxic against KB, BC1, and NCI-H187 human cancer cell lines. The potential of cochliodone A and its analogues as effective therapeutics against cancer, tuberculosis, and malaria, together with its complex dimeric chemical structure, are reasons enough for continued investigation. Here, sequence analyses of the open reading frames found in the previously identified cochliodone A biosynthetic gene cluster, together with a series of gene-knockout experiments, heterologous in vivo production of pathway intermediates in Aspergillus nidulans and in vitro assays of key enzymes allowed us to propose a biosynthetic pathway and detailed mechanisms leading to the production of cochliodones. In addition, we identified that the elimination of the dimerizing multicopper oxidase CcdJ from the ccd pathway led to pathway crosstalk between the ccd pathway and an unrelated benzaldehyde-producing biosynthetic pathway formation to generate new secondary metabolites. Most interestingly, however, through the in vitro study, we established that the sequential actions of an acetyltransferase, an acetate lyase, and an enoyl reductase achieve a full reduction of the unsaturated backbone of the polyketide (PKs) product generated by the nonreducing polyketide synthase (PKS) CcdL. This alternative mode of reducing a polyketomethylene chain could be engineered further to develop a facile chemoenzymatic modification of the polyketide backbone saturation level postpolyketide synthesis in trans.

3-Acyl-4-Pyranone as a Lysine Residue-Selective Bioconjugation Reagent for Peptide and Protein Modification

Chemoselective protein modification plays extremely important roles in various biological, medical, and pharmaceutical investigations. Mimicking the mechanism of the chemoselective reaction between natural azaphilones and primary amines, this work successfully simplified the azaphilone scaffold into much simpler 3-acyl-4-pyranones. Examinations confirmed that these slim-size mimics perfectly kept the unique reactivity for selective conjugation with the primary amines including lysine residues of peptides and proteins. The newly developed pyranone tool presents remarkably increased aqueous solubility and compatible second-order rate constant by comparison with the original azaphilone. Additional advantages also include the ease of biorthogonal combinative use with a copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne Click reaction, which was conveniently applied to decorate lysozyme with neutral-, positive- and negative-charged functionalities in parallel. Moderate-degree modification of lysozyme with positively charged quaternary ammoniums was revealed to increase the enzymatic activities.

Isolation and characterization of a newly discovered plant growth-promoting endophytic fungal strain from the genus Talaromyces

In the Kandi zone of Punjab, India, root and rhizospheric soil samples were collected from the local vegetation near the Shivalik mountain foothills. Fifteen fungal colonies exhibiting distinct cultural morphology on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) plates were selected for plant-microbe interaction studies. Among these, the isolate HNB9 was identified as a nonpathogenic root colonizer. Morphological and molecular analyses confirmed HNB9 as Talaromyces albobiverticillius, characterized by the secretion of a red pigment as a secondary metabolite. Plants colonized with T. albobiverticillius HNB9 exhibited enhanced growth, manifesting in increased shoot and root length compared to untreated controls. This study unveiled the first evidence that a species from the Talaromyces genus, specifically T. albobiverticillius, possesses dual capabilities of root colonization and plant growth promotion. Moreover, HNB9 demonstrated the production of plant growth-regulating compounds like Indole Acetic Acid (IAA) and proficient solubilization of crucial nutrients (Phosphorous, Zinc, and Silica) through plate culture methods. This finding represents a significant contribution to the understanding of root-colonizing fungi with plant growth-promoting attributes, challenging the existing knowledge gap within the Talaromyces genus.

Discovery of dual PKS involved in sclerotiorin biosynthesis in Penicillium meliponae using genome mining and gene knockout

Fungi of the genus Penicillium section Sclerotiora have as their main characteristic the presence of orange-pigmented mycelium, which is associated with sclerotiorin, a chlorinated secondary metabolite of the azaphilone subclass of polyketides. Sclerotiorin presents anti-diabetes, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-Alzheimer, antiviral, and antimicrobial activities, which has always attracted the attention of researchers worldwide. During our ongoing search for azaphilone-producing Amazonian fungi, the strain of Penicillium MMSRG-058 was isolated as an endophyte from the roots of Duguetia stelechantha and showed great capacity for producing sclerotiorin-like metabolites. Using multilocus phylogeny, this strain was identified as Penicillium meliponae. Moreover, based on the genome mining of this strain through the reverse approach, a cluster of putative biosynthetic genes (BGC) responsible for the biosynthesis of sclerotiorin-like metabolites (scl cluster) was identified. The knockout of the sclA (highly reducing PKS) and sclI (non-reducing PKS) genes resulted in mutants with loss of mycelial pigmentation and terminated the biosynthesis of sclerotiorin-like metabolites: geumsanol B, chlorogeumsanol B, 7-deacetylisochromophilone VI, isochromophilone VI, ochrephilone, isorotiorin, and sclerotiorin. Based on these results, a biosynthetic pathway was proposed considering the homology of BGC scl genes with the azaphilone BGCs that have already been functionally characterized.

Solid-state co-culture fermentation of simulated food waste with filamentous fungi for production of bio-pigments

The use of waste stream residues as feedstock for material production simultaneously helps reduce dependence on fossil-based resources and to shift toward a circular economy. This study explores the conversion of food waste into valuable chemicals, namely, bio-pigments. Here, a simulated food waste feedstock was converted into pigments via solid-state fermentation with the filamentous fungus Talaromyces albobiverticillius (NRRL 2120). Pigments including monascorubrin, rubropunctatin, and 7-(2-hydroxyethyl)-monascorubramine were identified as products of the fermentation via ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Pigments were obtained at concentrations of 32.5, 20.9, and 22.4 AU/gram dry substrate for pigments absorbing at 400, 475, and 500 nm, respectively. Pigment production was further enhanced by co-culturing T. albobiverticillius with Trichoderma reesei (NRRL 3652), and ultimately yielded 63.8, 35.6, and 43.6 AU/gds at the same respective wavelengths. This represents the highest reported production of pigments via solid-state fermentation of a non-supplemented waste stream feedstock. KEY POINTS: • Simulated food waste underwent solid-state fermentation via filamentous fungi. • Bio-pigments were obtained from fermentation of the simulated food waste. • Co-culturing multiple fungal species substantially improved pigment production.

Azaphilone alkaloids: prospective source of natural food pigments

Azaphilone, biosynthesized by polyketide synthase, is a class of fungal metabolites. In this review, after brief introduction of the natural azaphilone diversity, we in detail discussed azaphilic addition reaction involving conversion of natural azaphilone into the corresponding azaphilone alkaloid. Then, setting red Monascus pigments (a traditional food colorant in China) as example, we presented a new strategy, i.e., interfacing azaphilic addition reaction with living microbial metabolism in a one-pot process, to produce azaphilone alkaloid with a specified amine residue (red Monascus pigments) during submerged culture. Benefit from the red Monascus pigments with a specified amine residue, the influence of primary amine on characteristics of the food colorant was highlighted. Finally, the progress for screening of alternative azaphilone alkaloids (production from interfacing azaphilic addition reaction with submerged culture of Talaromyces sp. or Penicillium sp.) as natural food colorant was reviewed. KEY POINTS: • Azaphilic addition reaction of natural azaphilone is biocompatible • Red Monascus pigment is a classic example of azaphilone alkaloids • Azaphilone alkaloids are alterative natural food colorant.

Azaphilones as Activation-Free Primary-Amine-Specific Bioconjugation Reagents for Peptides, Proteins and Lipids

Residue-selective bioconjugation methods for biomolecules are highly sought to expand the scope of their biological and medical applications. Inspired by the mechanism of the generation of natural vinylogous γ-pyridones (vPDNs), we have developed a novel unique azaphilone-based, activation-free primary-amine-selective bioconjugation method for biomolecules. Our strategy allows facile functionalization of primary amine groups in peptides and proteins, including the clinically used therapeutic antibody trastuzumab, by generating a highly stable vPDN linkage. Excellent chemoselectivity toward primary amines also enables the azaphilone derivatives to specifically modify the lipid components of Gram-positive bacteria while bypassing Gram-negative bacteria and mammalian cells. The new method shows significant advantages including chemoselectivity, efficiency, flexibility and biocompatibility, and therefore provides a valuable addition to the current toolbox for biomolecule conjugation.

A Novel Azaphilone Muyophilone A From the Endophytic Fungus Muyocopron laterale 0307-2

Two known azaphilone derivatives, 4,6-dimethylcurvulinic acid (1) and austdiol (2), and their novel heterotrimer, muyophilone A (3), were isolated and identified from an endophytic fungus, Muyocopron laterale 0307-2. Their structures and stereochemistry were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses including HRMS, NMR spectroscopy, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopic methods, as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction. In the structure of 3, two compound 2-derived azaphilone units were connected through an unprecedented five-membered carbon bridge which was proposed to be originated from compound 1. Compound 3 represents the first example of azaphilone heterotrimers.

Interfacing a phosphate catalytic reaction with a microbial metabolism for the production of azaphilone alkaloids

Exploring PO₄³⁻ as a Brønsted acid catalyst, a biocompatible amination reaction was successfully interfaced with the Penicillium sp. metabolism to produce sclerotiorin alkaloids.

Merging of a chemical reaction with microbial metabolismviainverse phase transfer catalysis for efficient production of redMonascuspigments

Cascade reactions,i.e., biosynthesis of OMPs and chemical modification of hydrophobic OMPs with water-soluble MSG, are carried out successfully by IPTC.

Diversifying of Chemical Structure of Native Monascus Pigments

Red Yeast Rice, produced by solid state fermentation of Monascus species on rice, is a traditional food additive and traditional Chinese medicine. With the introduction of modern microbiology and biotechnology to the traditional edible filamentous fungi Monascus species, it has been revealed that the production of red colorant by fermentation of Monascus species involves the biosynthesis of orange Monascus pigments and further chemical modification of orange Monascus pigments into the corresponding derivates with various amine residues. Further study indicates that non-Monascus species also produce Monascus pigments as well as Monascus-like pigments. Based on the chemical modification of orange Monascus pigments, the diversification of native Monascus pigments, including commercial food additives of Red Monascus Pigments^® and Yellow Monascus Pigments^® in Chinese market, was reviewed. Furthermore, Monascus pigments as well as their derivates as enzyme inhibitors for anti-obesity, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia was also summarized.

Sequential fungal fermentation-biotransformation process to produce a red pigment from sclerotiorin

The fungus Penicillium sclerotiorum produces sclerotiorin, an orange compound closely related to the useful food coloring pigments produced by Monascus species. The high productivity, together with several biological activities reported for sclerotiorin highlights its potential application in food industry. In this work, sclerotiorin was obtained as the major metabolite produced in liquid fermentation by P. sclerotiorum standing for 30% of the fungal dry extract. Modulation of sclerotiorin color was accomplished by biotransformation using Beauveria bassiana generating a red derivative with 13.8% yield. Color modification was caused by fungal-mediated substitution of oxygen by nitrogen in the pyrone ring changing the molecule's chromophore. A derivative, 1-methyl sclerotiorin was synthesized from sclerotiorin using diazomethane and fed to B. bassiana. In this case, substituent at C-1 avoided heteroatom substitution. Sclerotiorin derivatives obtained in the present show the great potential of sclerotiorin derivatives as food colorants.

Convenient One-Step Synthesis of Benzo[c]phenanthridines by Three-Component Reactions of Isochromenylium Tetrafluoroborates and Stilbenes in Acetonitrile

A new type of three-component reaction of air-stable isochromenylium tetrafluoroborates with electron-rich stilbenes in acetonitrile has been developed under catalyst-free conditions in this work. This cascade multibond-formation reaction is initiated by an intermolecular oxa [4 + 2]-cycloaddition, relayed with a nucleophilic addition of acetonitrile, and terminated by an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction, affording the corresponding benzo[c]phenanthridine analogues in one step.

Combinatorial Generation of Chemical Diversity by Redox Enzymes in Chaetoviridin Biosynthesis

Chaetoviridins constitute a large family of structurally related secondary metabolites isolated from Chaetomium fungi. To elucidate the biosynthesis pathway and understand how the chemical diversity of chaetoviridins is generated, gene deletion and in vitro characterization of the four post-PKS modifications enzymes were undertaken. CazL and CazP were identified to have substrate promiscuity that facilitates the formation of nonchlorinated analogues. In addition, enzymatic oxidation and reduction combined with spontaneous dehydration and lactonization of the intermediates further expand the chemical diversity.

Structures and biological activities of azaphilones produced by Penicillium sp. KCB11A109 from a ginseng field

Twelve metabolites, including five highly oxygenated azaphilones, geumsanols A-E, along with seven known analogues were isolated from Penicillium sp. KCB11A109, a fungus derived from a ginseng field. Their structures were assigned by spectroscopic means (NMR and MS), and stereochemistries were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses ((1)H-(1)H coupling constants, NOESY, and HETLOC) and chemical derivatizations (modified Mosher's method and acetonide formation). The isolates were evaluated for their anticancer, antimicrobial, antimalarial activities, and phenotypic effects in zebrafish development. Of these compounds possessing no pyranoquinone core, only geumsanol E exhibited cytotoxic activities and toxic effects on zebrafish embryos, suggesting that a double bond at C-11 and C-12 is important for biological activity.

Angular tricyclic benzofurans and related natural products of fungal origin. Isolation, biological activity and synthesis

Naturally-occurring angular tricyclic benzofuran/isobenzofuran derivatives of fungal origin and related compounds, in which two heterocyclic rings are fused to a central benzenoid moiety, are covered. Emphasis is placed on the structure of the compounds, together with their relevant biological activities, source microorganisms, country or region of origin and environmental conditions. In addition, proposed biosynthetic pathways, as well as the total syntheses of some of the compounds, including those that lead to structural revision or to correct stereochemical assignments, and related synthetic efforts, are discussed in detail.

Helicusin E, isochromophilone X and isochromophilone XI: new chloroazaphilones produced by the fungus Bartalinia robillardoides strain LF550

Microbial studies of the Mediterranean sponge Tethya aurantium led to the isolation of the fungus Bartalinia robillardoides strain LF550. The strain produced a number of secondary metabolites belonging to the chloroazaphilones. This is the first report on the isolation of chloroazaphilones of a fungal strain belonging to the genus Bartalinia. Besides some known compounds (helicusin A (1) and deacetylsclerotiorin (2)), three new chloroazaphilones (helicusin E (3); isochromophilone X (4) and isochromophilone XI (5)) and one new pentaketide (bartanolide (6)) were isolated. The structure elucidations were based on spectroscopic analyses. All isolated compounds revealed different biological activity spectra against a test panel of four bacteria: three fungi; two tumor cell lines and two enzymes.

Distinctive gas-phase fragmentation pathway of the mitorubramines, novel secondary metabolites from Hypoxylon fragiforme

RATIONALE

Azaphilones, belonging to the class of mitorubrins usually produced in Hypoxylon fragiforme, react easily with amino groups, giving amine derivatives, mitorubramines. These secondary metabolites exhibit a wide range of biological activities. Finding new secondary metabolites from fungi is important, and electrospray ionization (ESI) high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) coupled with sequential MS(n) experiments has become a method of choice for the chemotaxonomic classification of fungi.

METHODS

High-performance liquid chromatography of methanol extracts coupled to positive electrospray ionization, high resolving power for accurate mass measurements and resonant excitation for selective ion collision-induced dissociation (CID) have been conducted with the aim of resolving the structures of possible novel compounds.

RESULTS

Soft desolvation conditions in the ESI source enabled the detection of intact mitorubramines present in the extract. HRMS provided unambiguous information about the elemental composition of the mitorubramines and their product ions, while sequential MS(3) experiments were essential for the structural discernment of already reported mitorubrins and newly discovered mitorubramines. Indeed, specifically from the latter, a series of consecutive dissociations takes place under CID conditions that are useful for structural elucidation.

CONCLUSIONS

A distinctive method for two families of secondary metabolites has been developed. Information observed using HRMS and sequential MS(n) experiments gave unambiguous information about the structure of mitorubramines, especially the position of the nitrogen atom, which was strengthened by proposed unusual fragmentation mechanisms, such as the rearrangement yielding the release of CO(2) from the hydroxyl-diketone structures. These experiments demonstrated that the fragmentations are facilitated by the nitrogen electron lone-pair in mitorubramines, which does not occur in mitorubrins.

Synthesis of azaphilone-based chemical libraries

The synthesis of azaphilone scaffolds that have been further diversified by cross coupling acylation and amine addition is reported. Methodology development also led to novel modifications including C5 acetoxylation and condensations producing isoquinolin-6(7H) structures. Overall, the library synthesis afforded three azaphilone sublibraries, including vinylogous pyridones which project diversity elements in four sectors of the azaphilone core.

Reengineering an azaphilone biosynthesis pathway in Aspergillus nidulans to create lipoxygenase inhibitors

Sclerotiorin, an azaphilone polyketide, is a bioactive natural product known to inhibit 15-lipoxygenase and many other biological targets. To readily access sclerotiorin and analogs, we developed a 2-3 step semisynthetic route to produce a variety of azaphilones starting from an advanced, putative azaphilone intermediate (5) overproduced by an engineered strain of Aspergillus nidulans. The inhibitory activities of the semisynthetic azaphilones against 15-lipoxygenase were evaluated with several compounds displaying low micromolar potency.

Engineering of an "unnatural" natural product by swapping polyketide synthase domains in Aspergillus nidulans

An StcA-AfoE hybrid polyketide synthase (PKS), generated by swapping the AfoE (asperfuranone biosynthesis) SAT domain with the StcA (sterigmatocystin biosynthesis) SAT domian, produced a major new metabolite with the same chain length as the native AfoE product. Structure elucidation allowed us to propose a likely pathway, and feeding studies supported the hypothesis that the chain length of PKS metabolites may be under precise control of KS and PT domains.

Synthesis of the azaphilones (+)-sclerotiorin and (+)-8-O-methylsclerotiorinamine utilizing (+)-sparteine surrogates in copper-mediated oxidative dearomatization

Enantioselective syntheses of the azaphilone natural products (+)-sclerotiorin and (+)-8-O-methylsclerotiorinamine that possess the natural R-configuration at the quaternary center are reported. The syntheses were accomplished using copper-mediated asymmetric dearomatization employing bis-μ-oxo copper complexes prepared from readily available (+)-sparteine surrogates. Of note, site-selective O-methylation of a vinylogous pyridone was used to access the isoquinolin-6(7H)-one core of (+)-8-O-methylsclerotiorinamine.

Chemical epigenetics alters the secondary metabolite composition of guttate excreted by an atlantic-forest-soil-derived Penicillium citreonigrum

Chemical epigenetic manipulation of Penicillium citreonigrum led to profound changes in the secondary metabolite profile of its guttate. While guttate from control cultures exhibited a relatively simple assemblage of secondary metabolites, the guttate collected from cultures treated with 50 muM 5-azacytidine (a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor) was highly enriched in compounds representing at least three distinct biosynthetic families. The metabolites obtained from the fungus included six azaphilones (sclerotiorin (1), sclerotioramine (6), ochrephilone (2), dechloroisochromophilone III (3), dechloroisochromophilone IV (4), and 6-((3E,5E)-5,7-dimethyl-2-methylenenona-3,5-dienyl)-2,4-dihydroxy-3-methylbenzaldehyde (5)), pencolide (7), and two new meroterpenes (atlantinones A and B (9 and 10, respectively)). While pencolide was detected in the exudates of both control and 5-azacytidine-treated cultures, all of the other natural products were found exclusively in the guttates of the epigenetically modified fungus. All of the metabolites from the P. citreonigrum guttate were tested for antimicrobial activity in a disk diffusion assay. Both sclerotiorin and sclerotioramine caused modest inhibition of Staphylococcus epidermidis growth; however, only sclerotioramine was active against a panel of Candida strains.

The isolation, total synthesis and structure elucidation of chlorofusin, a natural product inhibitor of the p53-mDM2 protein-protein interaction

Inhibitors of key protein-protein interactions are emerging as exciting therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer. One such interaction between MDM2 (HDM2) and p53, that silences the tumour suppression activities of p53, was found to be inhibited by the recently isolated natural product chlorofusin. Synthetic studies on this complex natural product summarized herein have served to reassign its chromophore relative stereochemistry, assign its absolute stereochemistry, and provided access to a series of key analogues and partial structures for biological evaluation.

Chaetoglobins A and B, two unusual alkaloids from endophytic Chaetomium globosum culture

Chaetoglobins A (1) and B (2), two azaphilone alkaloid dimers with an unprecedented skeleton, were characterized from an endophytic fungus Chaetomium globosum with the former ascertained to be a significant cytotoxin valuable for anti-tumor drug discovery.