Biologically active tetranorditerpenoids from the fungus Sclerotinia homoeocarpa causal agent of dollar spot in turfgrass

Concise and Free-Metal Access to Lactone-Annelated Pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline Derivatives via a 1,2-Rearrangement Step

Here, An efficient approach to obtaining previously unknown furo[2',3':2,3]pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoquinoline derivatives from readily available 1-R-1-ethynyl-2-vinylisoquinolines is described. The reaction features a simple procedure, occurs in hexaflouroisopropanol and does not require elevated temperatures. It has been found that the addition of glacial acetic acid significantly increases the yields of the target spirolactone products. Using trifluoroethanol instead of hexaflouroisopropanol results in the formation of pyrido[2,1-a]isoquinolines.

Anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa activity of a C16-terpene dilactone isolated from the endophytic fungus Neofusicoccum luteum of Kigelia africana (Lam.)

Fungal endophytes have the capacity to biosynthesize secondary metabolites that are produced by their host plants. In this study, a dilactone terpenoid of C₁₆ architecture was isolated from the fungal endophytes of Kigeliaafricana, in our attempt to identify anti-Pseudomonasaeruginosa metabolites. Thirty-eight fungal isolates were cultured for biomolecule production over a period of thirty days. Extracts from three (ZF 34, ZF 52 and ZF 91) of the fungi showed good anti-P.aeruginosa activity, with ZF 52 presenting the best MIC of 19.53 µg/mL and was accordingly subjected to chromatographic separation. Based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses, the isolated compound was identified as a C₁₆-terpene dilactone, with a structure consistent with that of the known diterpene, CJ-14445. The isolated dilactone showed anti-P.aeruginosa activity with MIC of 0.61 µg/mL, signifying the antibacterial potential of the biomolecule. The bioactive fungal isolate (ZF 52) was identified as Neofusicoccumluteum based on genomic DNA sequencing. This is the first report of the endophyte N.luteum from K.africana and the first reported occurrence of CJ-14445 in the fungus.

Total syntheses of wentilactones A and B, and related norditerpene dilactones

A divergent approach toward the synthesis of A-ring functionalized tetranorditerpenoid dilactones has been developed, employing 3β-hydroxydilactone 6 as a common precursor which is readily derived from (S)-Wieland–Miescher ketone.

An Updated Review of Secondary Metabolites from Marine Fungi

Marine fungi are valuable and richest sources of novel natural products for medicinal and pharmaceutical industries. Nutrient depletion, competition or any other type of metabolic stress which limits marine fungal growth promotes the formation and secretion of secondary metabolites. Generally secondary metabolites can be produced by many different metabolic pathways and include antibiotics, cytotoxic and cyto-stimulatory compounds. Marine fungi produce many different types of secondary metabolites that are of commercial importance. This review paper deals with around 187 novel compounds and 212 other known compounds with anticancer and antibacterial activities with a special focus on the period from 2011-2019. Furthermore, this review highlights the sources of organisms, chemical classes and biological activities (anticancer and antibacterial) of metabolites, that were isolated and structurally elucidated from marine fungi to throw a helping hand for novel drug development.

Antimalarials and Phytotoxins from Botryosphaeria dothidea Identified from a Seed of Diseased Torreya taxifolia

The metabolic pathways in the apicoplast organelle of Plasmodium parasites are similar to those in plastids in plant cells and are suitable targets for malaria drug discovery. Some phytotoxins released by plant pathogenic fungi have been known to target metabolic pathways of the plastid; thus, they may also serve as potential antimalarial drug leads. An EtOAc extract of the broth of the endophyte Botryosphaeria dothidea isolated from a seed collected from a Torreya taxifolia plant with disease symptoms, showed in vitro antimalarial and phytotoxic activities. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of the extract afforded a mixture of two known isomeric phytotoxins, FRT-A and flavipucine (or their enantiomers, sapinopyridione and (-)-flavipucine), and two new unstable γ-lactam alkaloids dothilactaenes A and B. The isomeric mixture of phytotoxins displayed strong phytotoxicity against both a dicot and a monocot and moderate cytotoxicity against a panel of cell lines. Dothilactaene A showed no activity. Dothilactaene B was isolated from the active fraction, which showed moderate in vitro antiplasmodial activity with high selectivity index. In spite of this activity, its instability and various other biological activities shown by related compounds would preclude it from being a viable antimalarial lead.

Antiplasmodial and Cytotoxic Cytochalasins from an Endophytic Fungus, Nemania sp. UM10M, Isolated from a Diseased Torreya taxifolia Leaf

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an EtOAc extract of the broth of the endophytic fungus Nemania sp. UM10M (Xylariaceae) isolated from a diseased Torreya taxifolia leaf afforded three known cytochalasins, 19,20-epoxycytochalasins C (1) and D (2), and 18-deoxy-19,20-epoxy-cytochalasin C (3). All three compounds showed potent in vitro antiplasmodial activity and phytotoxicity with no cytotoxicity to Vero cells. These compounds exhibited moderate to weak cytotoxicity to some of the cell lines of a panel of solid tumor (SK-MEL, KB, BT-549, and SK-OV-3) and kidney epithelial cells (LLC-PK₁₁). Evaluation of in vivo antimalarial activity of 19,20-epoxycytochalasin C (1) in a mouse model at 100 mg/kg dose showed that this compound had weak suppressive antiplasmodial activity and was toxic to animals.

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.

Antiproliferative Constituents of the Roots of Ethiopian Podocarpus falcatus and Structure Revision of 2α-Hydroxynagilactone F and Nagilactone I

Bioassay-guided fractionation using the human colorectal adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cell line of the methanol extract of dried roots of Podocarpus falcatus led to the isolation of two new type C nagilactones, 16-hydroxynagilactone F (1) and 2β,16-dihydroxynagilactone F (2), and the new totarane-type bisditerpenoid 7β-hydroxymacrophyllic acid (4), along with the seven known compounds 2β-hydroxynagilactone F (3), macrophyllic acid (5), nagilactone D (6), 15-hydroxynagilactone D (7), nagilactone I (8), inumakiol D (9), and ponasterone A (10). The structures of the new compounds were determined by 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, UV, and IR and by comparison with the reported spectroscopic data of their congeners. The orientation of the C-2 hydroxy group of 3 and 8 was revised to be β based on evidence from detailed analysis of 1D and 2D NMR data and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Among the isolated compounds, the nagilactones, including the new dilactones 16-hydroxynagilactone F (1) and 2β,16-dihydroxynagilactone F (2), were the most active (IC50 0.3-5.1 μM range) against the HT-29 cell line, whereas the bisditerpenoids (4 and 5) and the other known compounds 9 and 10 were inactive. The presence of the bioactive nagilactones in P. falcatus supports its traditional use.

Marine natural products

This review covers the literature published in 2012 for marine natural products, with 1035 citations (673 for the period January to December 2012) 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 (1241 for 2012), together with the relevant biological activities, source organisms and country of origin. Biosynthetic studies, first syntheses, and syntheses that lead to the revision of structures or stereochemistries, have been included.

RNA-Seq analysis of the Sclerotinia homoeocarpa--creeping bentgrass pathosystem

Sclerotinia homoeocarpa causes dollar spot disease, the predominate disease on highly-maintained turfgrass. Currently, there are major gaps in our understanding of the molecular interactions between S. homoeocarpa and creeping bentgrass. In this study, 454 sequencing technology was used in the de novo assembly of S. homoeocarpa and creeping bentgrass transcriptomes. Transcript sequence data obtained using Illumina's first generation sequencing-by-synthesis (SBS) were mapped to the transcriptome assemblies to estimate transcript representation in different SBS libraries. SBS libraries included a S. homoeocarpa culture control, a creeping bentgrass uninoculated control, and a library for creeping bentgrass inoculated with S. homoeocarpa and incubated for 96 h. A Fisher's exact test was performed to determine transcripts that were significantly different during creeping bentgrass infection with S. homoeocarpa. Fungal transcripts of interest included glycosyl hydrolases, proteases, and ABC transporters. Of particular interest were the large number of glycosyl hydrolase transcripts that target a wide range of plant cell wall compounds, corroborating the suggested wide host range and saprophytic abilities of S. homoeocarpa. Several of the multidrug resistance ABC transporters may be important for resistance to both fungicides and plant defense compounds. Creeping bentgrass transcripts of interest included germins, ubiquitin transcripts involved in proteasome degradation, and cinnamoyl reductase, which is involved in lignin production. This analysis provides an extensive overview of the S. homoeocarpa-turfgrass pathosystem and provides a starting point for the characterization of potential virulence factors and host defense responses. In particular, determination of important host defense responses may assist in the development of highly resistant creeping bentgrass varieties.

Asperolides A-C, tetranorlabdane diterpenoids from the marine alga-derived endophytic fungus Aspergillus wentii EN-48

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the culture extract of Aspergillus wentii EN-48, an endophytic fungus isolated from an unidentified marine brown algal species of the genus Sargassum, led to the isolation of three new tetranorlabdane diterpenoids, asperolides A-C (1-3), and five related derivatives (4-8). The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic interpretation, and compound 1 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by application of the modified Mosher's method. An X-ray structure for wentilactone B (6) is also reported. Compounds 1-8 were evaluated for cytotoxic and antibacterial activities.

Antiplasmodial Natural Products

Malaria is a human infectious disease that is caused by four species of Plasmodium. It is responsible for more than 1 million deaths per year. Natural products contain a great variety of chemical structures and have been screened for antiplasmodial activity as potential sources of new antimalarial drugs. This review highlights studies on natural products with antimalarial and antiplasmodial activity reported in the literature from January 2009 to November 2010. A total of 360 antiplasmodial natural products comprised of terpenes, including iridoids, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, terpenoid benzoquinones, steroids, quassinoids, limonoids, curcubitacins, and lanostanes; flavonoids; alkaloids; peptides; phenylalkanoids; xanthones; naphthopyrones; polyketides, including halenaquinones, peroxides, polyacetylenes, and resorcylic acids; depsidones; benzophenones; macrolides; and miscellaneous compounds, including halogenated compounds and chromenes are listed in this review.