ZYX-Z-16

Asperinsuterpenes A-C from the Fungus Aspergillus insuetus BTBU20220155

Three new meroterpenoids, asperinsuterpenes A-C (1-3), and eight previously reported natural products, namely asnovolin I (4), (2'E,4'E,6'E)-6-(1'-carboxyocta-2',4',6'-triene)-9-hydroxydrim-7-ene-11,12-olide (5), (2'E,4'E,6'E)-6-(1'-carboxyocta-2',4',6'-triene)-11,12-epoxy-9,11-dihydroxydrim-7-ene (6), cinereain (7), carnequinazolines A and B (8 and 9), carnemycin B (10), and stromemycin (11) were isolated from the fungus Aspergillus insuetus, strain BTBU20220155. The structures of the compounds were determined based on spectroscopic techniques, including 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and ECD experiments. The in vitro antimicrobial evaluation revealed that compounds 5 and 11 exhibited inhibitory activity against Candida albicans, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 12.5 and 25 μg/mL, respectively. These findings suggest that A. insuetus is a promising source of bioactive natural products with potential applications in antifungal therapy.

Terpenoids from Marine Sources: A Promising Avenue for New Antimicrobial Drugs

Currently, there is an urgent need for new antibacterial and antifungal agents to combat the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance. As the largest ecosystem on Earth, the marine ecosystem includes a vast array of microorganisms (primarily bacteria and fungi), plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates, making it a rich source of various antimicrobial compounds. Notably, terpenoids, known for their complex structures and diverse bioactivities, are a significant and promising group of compounds in the battle against bacterial and fungal infections. In the past five years, numerous antimicrobial terpenoids have been identified from marine organisms such as bacteria, fungi, algae, corals, sea cucumbers, and sponges. This review article provides a detailed overview of 141 terpenoids with antibacterial and/or antifungal properties derived from marine organisms between 2019 and 2024. Terpenoids, a diverse group of natural organic compounds derived from isoprene units, are systematically categorized based on their carbon skeleton structures. Comprehensive information is provided about their names, structures, biological sources, and the extent of their antibacterial and/or antifungal effectiveness. This review aims to facilitate the rapid identification and development of prospective antimicrobials in the pharmaceutical sector.

Ergone Derivatives from the Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Aspergillus terreus YPGA10 and 25,28-Dihydroxyergone-Induced Apoptosis in Human Colon Cancer SW620 Cells

Ten new ergone derivatives (1-10) and five known analogues (11-15) were isolated from the deep-sea-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus YPGA10. The structures including the absolute configurations were established by detailed analysis of the NMR spectroscopic data, HRESIMS, ECD calculation, and coupling constant calculation. All the structures are characterized by a highly conjugated 25-hydroxyergosta-4,6,8(14),22-tetraen-3-one nucleus. Structurally, compound 2 bearing a 15-carbonyl group and compounds 5-7 possessing a 15β-OH/OCH3 group are rarely encountered in ergone derivatives. Bioassay results showed that compounds 1 and 11 demonstrated cytotoxic effects on human colon cancer SW620 cells with IC50 values of 8.4 and 3.1 μM, respectively. Notably, both compounds exhibited negligible cytotoxicity on the human normal lung epithelial cell BEAS-2B. Compound 11 was selected for preliminary mechanistic study and was found to inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in human colon cancer SW620 cells. In addition, compound 1 displayed cytotoxic activity against five human leukemia cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 5.7 to 8.9 μM. Our study demonstrated that compound 11 may serve as a potential candidate for the development of anticolorectal cancer agents.

Antibacterial properties of natural products from marine fungi reported between 2012 and 2023: a review

The oceans are rich in diverse microorganisms, animals, and plants. This vast biological complexity is a major source of unique secondary metabolites. In particular, marine fungi are a promising source of compounds with unique structures and potent antibacterial properties. Over the last decade, substantial progress has been made to identify these valuable antibacterial agents. This review summarizes the chemical structures and antibacterial activities of 223 compounds identified between 2012 and 2023. These compounds, effective against various bacteria including drug-resistant strains such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, exhibit strong potential as antibacterial therapeutics. The review also highlights the relevant challenges in transitioning from drug discovery to product commercialization. Emerging technologies such as metagenomics and synthetic biology are proposed as viable solutions. This paper sets the stage for further research on antibacterial compounds derived from marine fungi and advocates a multidisciplinary approach to combat drug-resistant bacteria.

Chemical constituents of the marine-derived fungus Acremonium sp. AN-13

Two new compounds named 3(S)-hydroxy-1-(2,4,5-trihydroxy-3,6- dimethylphenyl)-hex-4E-en-1-one (1) and acremonilactone (2), together with nine known compounds (3-11), were isolated from the fermentation broth of Acremonium sp. associated with marine sediments collected from South China Sea. NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic analysis elucidated the structure of two new compounds. Compound 2 had characteristic rotary gate shape skeleton with a six-membered lactone. Compounds 1 and 9 showed DPPH radical scavenging activity with inhibition rates of 96.50 and 85.95% at the concentration of 0.5 mg/ml, respectively. Moreover, compounds 4, 6 and 11 showed definite antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538.

Marine natural products

Covering: January to the end of December 2022This review covers the literature published in 2022 for marine natural products (MNPs), with 645 citations (633 for the period January to December 2022) referring to compounds isolated from marine microorganisms and phytoplankton, green, brown and red algae, sponges, cnidarians, bryozoans, molluscs, tunicates, echinoderms, the submerged parts of mangroves and other intertidal plants. The emphasis is on new compounds (1417 in 384 papers for 2022), 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. An analysis of NP structure class diversity in relation to biota source and biome is discussed.

Construction of the A-B-C Ring of Simplicissin through an Oxidative Dearomatization/Iodination/[3+2] Annulation Cascade

As an attractive DMOA-derived spiromeroterpenoid, simplicissin shares a common A-B-C ring skeleton with other natural analogues. On the basis of the development of an oxidative dearomatization/iodination/[3+2] annulation cascade, a concise synthetic pathway to the A-B-C ring of simplicissin has been successfully established, and the substrate generality of the novel oxidative dearomatization/iodination/[3+2] annulation cascade has been checked.

Research Progress of α-Glucosidase Inhibitors Produced by Microorganisms and Their Applications

Based on the easy cultivation of microorganisms and their short cycle time, research on α-glucosidase inhibitors (α-GIs) of microbial origin is receiving extensive attention. Raw materials used in food production, such as cereals, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, contain various bioactive components, like flavonoids, polyphenols, and alkaloids. Fermentation with specific bacterial strains enhances the nutritional value of these raw materials and enables the creation of hypoglycemic products rich in diverse active ingredients. Additionally, conventional food processing often results in significant byproduct generation, causing resource wastage and environmental issues. However, using bacterial strains to ferment these byproducts into α-GIs presents an innovative solution. This review describes the microbial-derived α-GIs that have been identified. Moreover, the production of α-GIs using industrial food raw materials and processing byproducts as a medium in fermentation is summarized. It is worth analyzing the selection of strains and raw materials, the separation and identification of key compounds, and fermentation broth research methods. Notably, the innovative ideas in this field are described as well. This review will provide theoretical guidance for the development of microbial-derived hypoglycemic foods.