OM-4842, a new platelet aggregation inhibitor from Streptomyces

Identification of natural inhibitors of Entamoeba histolytica cysteine synthase from microbial secondary metabolites

Amebiasis is a common worldwide diarrheal disease, caused by the protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica. Metronidazole has been a drug of choice against amebiasis for decades despite its known side effects and low efficacy against asymptomatic cyst carriers. E. histolytica is also capable of surviving sub-therapeutic levels of metronidazole in vitro. Novel drugs with different mode of action are therefore urgently needed. The sulfur assimilatory de novo L-cysteine biosynthetic pathway is essential for various cellular activities, including the proliferation and anti-oxidative defense of E. histolytica. Since the pathway, consisting of two reactions catalyzed by serine acetyltransferase (SAT) and cysteine synthase (CS, O-acetylserine sulfhydrylase), does not exist in humans, it is a rational drug target against amebiasis. To discover inhibitors against the CS of E. histolytica (EhCS), the compounds of Kitasato Natural Products Library were screened against two recombinant CS isozymes: EhCS1 and EhCS3. Nine compounds inhibited EhCS1 and EhCS3 with IC50 values of 0.31-490 μM. Of those, seven compounds share a naphthoquinone moiety, indicating the structural importance of the moiety for binding to the active site of EhCS1 and EhCS3. We further screened >9,000 microbial broths for CS inhibition and purified two compounds, xanthofulvin and exophillic acid from fungal broths. Xanthofulvin inhibited EhCS1 and EhCS3. Exophillic acid showed high selectivity against EhCS1, but exhibited no inhibition against EhCS3. In vitro anti-amebic activity of the 11 EhCS inhibitors was also examined. Deacetylkinamycin C and nanaomycin A showed more potent amebicidal activity with IC50 values of 18 and 0.8 μM, respectively, in the cysteine deprived conditions. The differential sensitivity of trophozoites against deacetylkinamycin C in the presence or absence of L-cysteine in the medium and the IC50 values against EhCS suggest the amebicidal effect of deacetylkinamycin C is due to CS inhibition.

Sequential action of two flavoenzymes, PgaE and PgaM, in angucycline biosynthesis: chemoenzymatic synthesis of gaudimycin C

Tailoring steps in aromatic polyketide antibiotic biosynthesis are an important source of structural diversity and, consequently, an intriguing focal point for enzymological studies. PgaE and PgaM from Streptomyces sp. PGA64 are representatives of flavoenzymes catalyzing early post-PKS reactions in angucycline biosynthesis. This in vitro study illustrates that the chemoenzymatic conversion of UWM6 into the metabolite, gaudimycin C, requires multiple closely coupled reactions to prevent intermediate degradation. The NMR structure of gaudimycin C confirms that the reaction cascade involves C12- and C12b-hydroxylation, C2,3-dehydration, and stereospecific ketoreduction at C6. Enzymatic 18O incorporation studies verify that the oxygens at C12 and C12b derive from O2 and H2O, respectively. The results indicate that PgaM deviates mechanistically from flavoprotein monooxygenases, and suggest an alternative catalytic mechanism involving a quinone methide intermediate.

Structure, activity, synthesis and biosynthesis of aryl-C-glycosides

The focus of this review is to highlight the structure, bioactivity and biosynthesis of naturally occurring aryl-C-glycosides. General synthetic methods and their relevance to proposed biochemical mechanisms for the aryl-C-glycoside bond formation are also presented.

Trends in the search for bioactive microbial metabolites

Bioactive microbial metabolites are attracting increasing attention as useful agents for medicine, veterinary medicine, agriculture, and as unique biochemical tools. A review of the current trends in the discovery of new metabolites shows that the number of active compounds with non-antibiotic type of activity has increased, resulting in an expansion of the variety of bioactivity of microbial metabolites. Factors that contribute to the increased rate of discovery include: development of new methods for activity measurement, exploitation of novel groups of microorganisms as sources of active compounds, new directions for chemical modification, and incorporation of newer knowledge of biotechnology into screening systems. To exemplify this, typical screening methods, and chemical and biological properties of several bioactive compounds obtained by these methods are discussed.