Highly Substituted Phenol Derivatives with Nitric Oxide Inhibitory Activities from the Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Trichobotrys effuse FS524

Investigation on Metabolites in Structural Diversity from The Deep-Sea Sediment-Derived Bacterium Agrococcus sp. SCSIO 52902 and Their Biosynthesis

Deep-sea sediment-derived bacterium may make full use of self-genes to produce more bioactive metabolites to adapt to extreme environment, resulting in the discovery of novel metabolites with unique structures and metabolic mechanisms. In the paper, we systematically investigated the metabolites in structurally diversity and their biosynthesis from the deep-sea sediment-derived bacterium Agrococcus sp. SCSIO 52902 based on OSMAC strategy, Molecular Networking tool, in combination with bioinformatic analysis. As a result, three new compounds and one new natural product, including 3R-OH-1,6-diene-cyclohexylacetic acid (1), linear tetradepsipeptide (2), N¹,N⁵-di-p-(EE)-coumaroyl-N¹⁰-acetylspermidine (3) and furan fatty acid (4), together with nineteen known compounds (5–23) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of SCSIO 52902. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, Marfey’s method and chiral-phase HPLC analysis. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that compounds 1, 3, 9 and 13–22 were closely related to the shikimate pathway, and compound 5 was putatively produced by the OSB pathway instead of the PKS pathway. In addition, the result of cytotoxicity assay showed that compound 5 exhibited weak cytotoxic activity against the HL-60 cell line.

Pyrone and isocoumarin derivatives from the endophytic fungus Cytospora rhizophorae

Cytospone A (1), a pyrone and isocoumarin hetero-dimer possessing an unprecedented skeleton with a polyoxygen-hetero 6/6/6/6 tetracyclic fused ring system, and three other biosynthetic precursors cytospones B-D (2-4), along with eleven known compounds were purified from Cytospora rhizophorae A761. The deduced structure of cytospone A represents the first family of natural hetero-dimers comprising pyrone and isocoumarin moieties. A plausible biogenetic pathway involving an intriguing Knoevenagel condensation/6π electrocyclization cascade sequence as the key chemical transformation is proposed.

Marine natural products

Covering: 2020This review covers the literature published in 2020 for marine natural products (MNPs), with 757 citations (747 for the period January to December 2020) 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 (1407 in 420 papers for 2020), together with the relevant biological activities, source organisms and country of origin. Pertinent reviews, biosynthetic studies, first syntheses, and syntheses that led to the revision of structures or stereochemistries, have been included. A meta analysis of bioactivity data relating to new MNPs reported over the last five years is also presented.

Trifunctionalization of aryl iodides via intermolecular C–H acylation/intramolecular C–H alkylation achieved using palladium/norbornene cooperative catalysis

Herein, we describe a palladium/norbornene-catalyzed trifunctionalization of ortho-unsubstituted aryl iodides via a highly chemoselective cascade process involving intermolecular ortho acylation/intramolecular ortho alkylation/ipso alkenylation.

Research Progress in Anti-Inflammatory Bioactive Substances Derived from Marine Microorganisms, Sponges, Algae, and Corals

Inflammation is the body’s defense reaction in response to stimulations and is the basis of various physiological and pathological processes. However, chronic inflammation is undesirable and closely related to the occurrence and development of diseases. The ocean gives birth to unique and diverse bioactive substances, which have gained special attention and been a focus for anti-inflammatory drug development. So far, numerous promising bioactive substances have been obtained from various marine organisms such as marine bacteria and fungi, sponges, algae, and coral. This review covers 71 bioactive substances described during 2015–2020, including the structures (65 of which), species sources, evaluation models and anti-inflammatory activities of these substances. This review aims to provide some reference for the research progress of marine-organism-derived anti-inflammatory metabolites and give more research impetus for their conversion to novel anti-inflammatory drugs.

Structures and absolute configurations of phomalones from the coral-associated fungus Parengyodontium album sp. SCSIO 40430

Coral-associated microorganisms are likely to play an important role in host defense by the production of antimicrobials. Six new chromanones, namely, phomalichenones H-M (5, 6, and 8-11), and ten known analogues (1-4, 7, and 12-16) were isolated from the coral-associated fungus Parengyodontium album sp. SCSIO 40430. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses. In addition, the structure of 8 was confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Resolution using a chiral column showed that each of the compounds 1-8 was an enantiomeric mixture with variable enantiomeric excess (ee) values. Their absolute configurations were determined by a comparison of the experimental and calculated ECD data and by a modified Mosher's method. A plausible biosynthetic scheme was proposed for the production of 1-16. Compounds 2, 3, 13, and 14 were found to be active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra with MIC values of 16-64 μg mL^-1.

Progress in Research on Bioactive Secondary Metabolites from Deep-Sea Derived Microorganisms

Deep sea has an extreme environment which leads to biodiversity of microorganisms and their unique physical and biochemical mechanisms. Deep-sea derived microorganisms are more likely to produce novel bioactive substances with special mechanism of action for drug discovery. This article reviews secondary metabolites with biological activities such as anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory isolated from deep-sea fungi and bacteria during 2018-2020. Effective methods for screening and obtaining natural active compounds from deep-sea microorganisms are also summarized, including optimizing the culture conditions, using genome mining technology, biosynthesis and so on. The comprehensive application of these methods makes broader prospects for the development and application of deep sea microbial bioactive substances.

Structural elucidation, total synthesis, and cytotoxic activity of effphenol A

A highly substituted phenol derivative, effphenol A (1), was isolated from the deep-sea-derived fungus Trichobotrys effuse FS524. Its complete structural assignment was established through a combination of spectroscopic analysis together with single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments and further unequivocally confirmed by a biomimetic total synthesis. Structurally, effphenol A possesses a poly-substituted 6-5/6/6 tetracyclic ring system, which represents the first case of such a skeleton found in nature. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity of effphenol A (1) toward four human cancer cell lines was assayed.