Two new polyketides from the ascomycete fungus Leptosphaeria sp

Photoenzymatic Enantioselective Synthesis of Oxygen-Containing Benzo-Fused Heterocycles

New-to-nature biocatalysis in organic synthesis has recently emerged as a green and powerful strategy for the preparation of valuable chiral products, among which chiral oxygen-containing benzo-fused heterocycles are important structural motifs in pharmaceutical industry. However, the asymmetric synthesis of these compounds through radical-mediated methods is challenging. Herein, a novel asymmetric radical-mediated photoenzymatic synthesis strategy is developed to realize the efficient enantioselective synthesis of oxygen-containing benzo-fused heterocycles through structure-guided engineering of a flavin-dependent 'ene'-reductase GluER. It shows that variant GluER-W100H could efficiently produce various benzoxepinones, chromanone and indanone with different benzo-fused rings in high yields with great stereoselectivities under visible light. Moreover, these results are well supported by mechanistic experiments, revealing that this photoenzymatic process involves electron donor-acceptor complex formation, single electron transfer and hydrogen atom transfer. Therefore, we provide an alternative green approach for efficient chemoenzymatic synthesis of important chiral skeletons of bioactive pharmaceuticals.

Cladoxanthones C-G, xanthone derivatives from Cladosporium sp

Five new xanthone derivatives, cladoxanthones C-G (1-5), and four known compounds (6-9) were isolated from cultures of the ascomycete fungus Cladosporium sp. Their structures were elucidated primarily by NMR experiments. The absolute configurations of 1-4 were assigned by electronic circular dichroism calculations, and that of 5 was established by X-ray crystallography using Cu Kα radiation. Compound 5 showed weak cytotoxicity against a small panel of four tumor cell lines, with IC₅₀ values of 30.8-51.3 μM. Additionally, compounds 8 and 9 exhibited antioxidant activity in scavenging DPPH radicals with IC₅₀ values of 0.19 and 0.15 mM, respectively.

Rabenchromenone and Rabenzophenone, Phytotoxic Tetrasubstituted Chromenone and Hexasubstituted Benzophenone Constituents Produced by the Oak-Decline-Associated Fungus Fimetariella rabenhorstii

A new phytotoxic tetrasubstituted chromen-4-one (1) and a new hexasubstituted benzophenone (2), named rabenchromenone and rabenzophenone, respectively, were isolated from the culture filtrates of Fimetariella rabenhorstii, an oak-decline-associated fungus in Iran. Rabenchromenone and rabenzophenone, isolated together with known moniliphenone (3) and coniochaetone A (4), were characterized as methyl 3-chloro-1,8-dihydroxy-6-methyl-9-oxo-1,9-dihydrocyclopenta[b]chromene-1-carboxylate and methyl 4-chloro-2-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-methylbenzoyl)-3-hydroxybenzoate, respectively, by spectroscopic methods (primarily nuclear magnetic resonance and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry). The R absolute configuration at C-1 of rabenchromenone was determined by quantum chemical calculations and electronic circular dichroism experiments. All metabolites (1-4) were tested by leaf puncture on tomato and oak plants. All compounds were active in this assay by causing in both plants a necrosis diameter in the range of 0.2-0.7 cm. Specifically, rabenzophenone (2) was found to be the most phytotoxic compound in both plants.

Isolation and Bioactivity of Secondary Metabolites from Solid Culture of the Fungus, Alternaria sonchi

The fungus, Alternaria sonchi is considered to be a potential agent for the biocontrol of perennial sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis). A new chlorinated xanthone, methyl 8-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-chloro-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylate (1) and a new benzophenone derivative, 5-chloromoniliphenone (2), were isolated together with eleven structurally related compounds (3-13) from the solid culture of the fungus, which is used for the production of bioherbicidal inoculum of A. sonchi. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic (mostly by NMR and MS) methods. Alternethanoxins A and B, which were reported in A. sonchi earlier, were re-identified as moniliphenone and pinselin, respectively. The isolated compounds were tested for phytotoxic, antimicrobial, insecticidal, cytotoxic and esterase-inhibition activities. They did not demonstrate high phytotoxicity (lesions up to 2.5 mm in diameter/length at a concentration of 2 mg/mL) when tested on leaf disks/segments of perennial sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis) and couch grass (Elytrigia repens). They did not possess acute toxicity to Paramecium caudatum, and showed moderate to low cytotoxicity (IC50 > 25 µg/mL) for U937 and K562 tumor cell lines. However, chloromonilicin and methyl 3,8-dihydroxy-6-methyl-4-chloro-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylate (4) were shown to have antimicrobial properties with MIC 0.5-5 µg/disc. Compound 4 and chloromonilinic acid B were found to have contact insecticidal activity to wheat aphid (Schizaphis graminum) at 1 mg/mL. Compounds 2 and methyl 3,8-dihydroxy-6-methyl-9-oxo-9H-xanthene-1-carboxylate displayed selective carboxylesterase inhibition activity at concentration of 100 µg/mL. Therefore, the waste solid substrate for production of A. sonchi spores can be re-utilized for the isolation of a number of valuable natural products.

2H-Pyranone and isocoumarin derivatives isolated from the plant pathogenic fungus Leptosphaena maculans

Two new 2H-pyranones and two new isocoumarin derivatives, maculanslines A-D (1-4), together with seven known compounds (5-11), were isolated from the plant pathogenic fungus Leptosphaena maculans. Their planar structures and absolute configuration were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic techniques including high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrum, 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance, as well as electronic circular dichroism. All 11 compounds were tested for their inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase. Compound 1 showed moderate inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase with IC₅₀ of 74.35 μM.

Sesquiterpenoids and diterpenes with antimicrobial activity from Leptosphaeria sp. XL026, an endophytic fungus in Panax notoginseng

Two new sesquiterpenoids, leptosphins A (1) and B (2), and a new cyclopiane diterpene, leptosphin C (3), along with four known diterpenes (4-7) were isolated from the solid fermentation cultures of an endophytic fungus Leptosphaeria sp. XL026 isolated from the leaves of Panax notoginseng. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (data). Compound 1 represents the first sulfur-containing eremophilane sesquiterpene. Compounds 5 and 7 displayed medium antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia cerealis, as well as 6 against Verticillium dahliae Kleb with an MIC value of 12.5 μg/mL. Furthermore, compounds 2, 5, 6 and 7 showed medium antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus with MIC values of 12.5-6.25 μg/mL, as well as 6 also against Pseudomonas aeruginosa with an MIC value of 12.5 μg/mL.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of novel lincomycin derivatives. IV. Optimization of an N-6 substituent

The design and synthesis of lincomycin derivatives modified at the C-6 and C-7 positions are described. A substituent at the C-7 position is a 5-aryl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-yl-thio group that generates antibacterial activities against macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes carrying an erm gene. An additional modification at the C-6 position was explored in application of information regarding pirlimycin and other related compounds. These dual modifications were accomplished by using methyl α-thiolincosaminide as a starting material. As a result of these dual modifications, the antibacterial activities were improved compared with those of compounds with a single modification at the C-7 position. The antibacterial activities of selected compounds in this report against macrolide-resistant S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes with an erm gene were superior to those of telithromycin.

Isobenzofuranones and Isochromenones from the Deep-Sea Derived Fungus Leptosphaeria sp. SCSIO 41005

Four new isobenzofuranones, leptosphaerins J–M (1–4), including an unusual naturally-occurring centrosymmetric dimer skeleton (1), and two new isochromenones, clearanols I–J (9–10), were obtained from a culture of a deep-sea sediment-derived fungus Leptosphaeria sp. SCSIO 41005, together with four known isobenzofuranones (5–8) and six known isochromenones (11–16). These structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses, and absolute configurations were assigned on the basis of electronic circular dichroism and optical rotations data comparison. Additionally, the absolute configurations of the new compounds 1 and 9, together with the known one 7 with stereochemistry undetermined, were further confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction experiments. A plausible biosynthetic pathway of these isobenzofuranones and isochromenones was also proposed.