Gymnocin-B with the largest contiguous polyether rings from the red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia (formerly Gymnodinium) mikimotoi

A new cytotoxic polyether, gymnocin-B, was isolated from the red tide dinoflagellate, Karenia mikimotoi. Its structure was characterized by 15 contiguous ether rings and a 2-methyl-2-butenal side chain. Gymnocin-B showed cytotoxicity against P388 cells.     

Divergent synthesis of the tetracyclic ethers of 6-X-7-6 ring systems

Ladder-shaped polyether natural products show diverse biological activities with extreme potency. As the initial phase of detailed SAR studies of bioactive polyethers, we set out to construct structurally simple mimics. This paper details the divergent synthesis of 6-X-7-6 tetracycles (X=7, 8, or 9) starting from a simple 6-membered ether. Key reactions in the synthesis include (i) the direct formation of an O,S-acetal by the coupling of an alcohol with an α-chlorosulfide, (ii) the construction of a 7-membered ring by radical cyclization, and (iii) cyclization to the 7, 8 or 9-membered ring via a ring-closing metathesis reaction. The neutral reaction conditions of our strategy enable the synthesis of a wide variety of substrates. The results of this study can be applied for the rapid construction of artificial polyether compounds with diversified molecular shapes and sizes.     

44-Methylgambierone,a new gambierone analogue isolated from Gambierdiscus australes

A new analogue of gambierone, 44-methylgambierone, was isolated from the benthic dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus australes collected from Raoul Island (Rangitahua/Kermadec Islands). This molecule has been previously reported as maitotoxin-3. The structure of 44-methylgambierone was elucidated using 1D- and 2D-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry techniques. The nine-ring polyether backbone (A–I) and functional groups (carbonyl, terminal diol, 1,3-diene and monosulphate) are the same for both compounds with the addition of an olefinic methyl group being the only modification in 44-methylgambierone.     

Bacillamide, a novel algicide from the marine bacterium, Bacillus sp. SY-1, against the harmful dinoflagellate, Cochlodinium polykrikoides

Bacillamide (1) was isolated as a new algicide against the harmful dinoflagellate, Cochlodinium polykrikoides, from the marine bacterium, Bacillus sp. SY-1, and its structure was elucidated by extensive two-dimensional NMR techniques including ¹H-¹⁵N HMBC analysis and mass analysis. Bacillamide showed algicidal activity against C. polykrikoides with LC₅₀ of 3.2 μg/ml.     

Isolation and structure elucidation of a new amphidinol with a truncated polyhydroxyl chain from Amphidinium klebsii

A new member of amphidinols (AM7) possessing a polyene-polyhydroxyl structure with the shortest carbon backbone and sulfate ester was isolated from the cultured dinoflagellate, Amphidinium klebsii. AM7 showed hemolytic and antifungal activities. The structure was elucidated on the basis of 2D NMR data in combination with CID MS/MS experiments.     

Pinnatoxin H: a new pinnatoxin analogue from a South China Sea Vulcanodinium rugosum isolate

Pinnatoxin H was isolated from a culture of the dinoflagellate Vulcanodinium rugosum isolated from the South China Sea. The structure of pinnatoxin H was elucidated by LC–MS/MS and NMR spectroscopy. It was found to have the same macrocyclic structure and substituents as pinnatoxins D, E and F, but the side chain on the cyclohexenyl ring was an ethenyl group, as found in pinnatoxin G and portimine. The observation that this strain of V. rugosum produced only pinnatoxin H and portimine is consistent with previous findings that the profile of pinnatoxins can vary significantly among strains. The acute toxicity of pinnatoxin H to mice was 67 μg/kg (intraperitoneal) and 163 μg/kg (gavage).     

Tracer studies on dinoflagellate luciferin with [N]-glycine and [N]-l-glutamic acid in the dinoflagellate Pyrocystis lunula

The bioluminescence of dinoflagellate is a typical luciferin-luciferase reaction. To clarify the biosynthesis of dinoflagellate luciferin, we performed a feeding experiment with [¹⁵N]-glycine and [¹⁵N]-l-glutamic acid in the dinoflagellate Pyrocystis lunula. In a control experiment, we also examined whether or not chlorophyll a was incorporated with these labeled compounds. We detected by mass spectrometry the incorporation of [¹⁵N]-glycine and [¹⁵N]-l-glutamic acid into the four tetrapyrrole rings of the luciferin. In the control experiment, chlorophyll a was also incorporated with [¹⁵N]-glycine and [¹⁵N]-l-glutamic acid. Our results show that either glycine or glutamic acid could be the original component of dinoflagellate luciferin as well as chlorophyll a in the dinoflagellate P. lunula.     

Iriomoteolide-13a,a cytotoxic 22-membered macrolide from a marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium species

Iriomoteolide-13a (1) has been isolated from a benthic dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. (strain KCA09053) as a new 22-membered macrolide containing one hexahydrofuro[3,2-b]furan ring, one tetrahydropyran ring, two tetrahydrofuran rings, three one-carbon branches, and three hydroxyl groups including two hemiketals. The structure of 1 was assigned on the basis of a detailed 2D NMR analysis. Compound 1 exhibited cytotoxic activity against human cervix adenocarcinoma HeLa cells (IC₅₀: 0.5 μg/mL).     

Zooxanthellamide A, a novel polyhydroxy metabolite from a marine dinoflagellate of Symbiodinium sp.

A novel polyhydroxy metabolite named Zooxanthellamide A, C₁₂₈H₂₂₂N₂O₅₄S₂, was isolated from a cultured marine dinoflagellate, Symbiodinium sp., and the chemical structure was determined by spectroscopic methods.     

Symbiodinolactone A,a new 12-membered macrolide from symbiotic marine dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp.

A new 12-membered macrolide, symbiodinolactone A, was isolated from the culture broth of symbiotic marine dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp. The gross structure of symbiodinolactone A was elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, and the relative configuration was elucidated by the J-based configuration analysis and density-functional theory calculations. Symbiodinolactone A is the new 12-membered macrolide possessing an E double bond between C-4 and C-5, a branched methyl group at C-7, and a 1,2,3-trihydroxybutyl group at C-11. Symbiodinolactone A is the first usual size macrolide and the first non-nitrogen-containing macrolide from dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp. Symbiodinolactone A might be generated by the unexplained dinoflagellate polyketide biosynthetic machinery.     

Asymmetric synthesis of a diastereomer of the structure proposed for amphidinolide A and the determination of its absolute configuration

An asymmetric synthesis of a diastereomer (2) of the structure (1) proposed for amphidinolide A, a cytotoxic macrolide from the cultured dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp., has been accomplished. The absolute configuration of amphidinolide A was established as 3 from comparison of NMR data, HPLC analysis, and [α]_D values of amphidinolide A, and comparison with the synthetic diastereomers 2 and 3, the latter of which was synthesized previously by Trost's group.     

Prorocentin-4, a novel linear polyketide from a marine dinoflagellate Prorocentrum sp.

Prorocentin-4, isolated from a cultured marine dinoflagellate Prorocentrum sp. was possessed of two tetrahydrofuran rings, conjugated dienes, four branched methyl groups, and a ketone moiety. The gross structure was elucidated by spectroscopic studies and the relative stereostructure was determined on the basis of spectral data.     

Amphirionin-5, a novel linear polyketide from a cultured marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium species with a potent cell proliferation-promoting activity

A novel linear polyketide, amphirionin-5 (1), has been isolated from the cultivated algal cells of the benthic dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp. (strain KCA09053), and the structure was elucidated on the basis of detailed analyses of 1D and 2D NMR data. Amphirionin-5 (1) resulted in a 282% increase in the proliferation of murine bone-marrow derived stromal ST-2 cells and 320% increase in the proliferation of murine osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.     

Amphezonol A, a novel polyhydroxyl metabolite from marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp.

Amphezonol A (1), a novel polyhydroxyl linear carbon-chain metabolite, has been isolated from the cultured marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp., which was isolated from an Okinawan marine acoel flatworm Amphiscolops sp. The structure of 1 was elucidated by detailed analyses of 2D NMR spectra. Amphezonol A (1) possesses one tetrahydrofuran ring, two tetrahydropyran rings, and twenty-one hydroxyl groups on C₆₀-linear aliphatic chain with one exo-methylene and one methyl branch. Amphezonol A (1) exhibited a modest inhibitory activity against DNA polymerase α.     

Cytotoxic cembranoids from the Red Sea soft coral, Sarcophyton auritum

Chemical investigation of the Red Sea soft coral Sarcophyton auritum led to the isolation and structure elucidation of two new diterpene cembranoids; 2-epi-sarcophine (2) and (1R,2E,4S,6E,8R,11R,12R)-2,6-cembradiene-4,8,11,12-tetrol (4), as well as two known diterpene cembranoids, reported for the first time from this species, namely sarcophine (1) and (+)-7α,8β-dihydroxydeepoxysarcophine (3). Structure elucidation was achieved using spectroscopic techniques, including 1D and 2D NMR and HRMS. The isolated cembranoids were found to display high cytotoxicity against HepG2 (liver cancer cell line) and MCF-7 (breast cancer cell line).     

New natural products in the discorhabdin A- and B-series from New Zealand-sourced Latrunculia spp. sponges

A survey of the secondary metabolite chemistry profiles of New Zealand sponges of the genus Latrunculia has yielded new members of the discorhabdin A- and B-type families. The structure elucidation of (+)-(6R,8S)-1-thiomethyldiscorhabdin G^∗/I (5) and both enantiomers of 16a,17a-dehydrodiscorhabdin W (6) are reported. Absolute configurations were assigned by comparison with a dataset of recently reported electronic circular dichroism spectra of discorhabdin alkaloids. A stereochemical correction of the recently reported natural product (+)-3-dihydrodiscorhabdin A from (3S,5R,6S,8S)-(7) to the C3-epimeric (+)-(3R,5R,6S,8S)-(8) and assignment of absolute configuration is also presented. Semi-synthesis of (+)-(3S,5R,6S,8S)-(7) from (+)-discorhabdin A provided further evidence for this structure revision. Cytotoxicity data is reported for 5-8.     

A new antimalarial polyether from a marine Streptomyces sp. H668

The antimalarial guided fractionation of the culture of marine Streptomyces sp. strain H668 led to the isolation of a new polyether metabolite. The structure was determined by comprehensive NMR and MS assignments. This new metabolite showed in vitro antimalarial activity against both the chloroquine-susceptible (D6) and-resistant (W2) clones of Plasmodium falciparum, without cytotoxicity to normal cells (Vero) making it a promising first lead from this marine bacterium.     

Total synthesis of amphidinolactone A and its absolute configuration

Asymmetric synthesis of amphidinolactone A, a cytotoxic macrolide from the cultured dinoflagellate Amphidinium sp., has been accomplished. Absolute configuration of amphidinolactone A was concluded to be 1 from comparison of the NMR data and [α]_D values of synthetic and natural amphidinolactone A.     

Synthesis of liquid crystalline materials based on 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene and 2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-s-triazine

C₃-symmetric alkyloxy/aryloxy polyether dendrimers have been synthesized from 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene and 2,4,6-triphenyl-1,3,5-s-triazine and their liquid crystalline properties have been studied. C₃-symmetric derivatives with n-hexyl and n-dodecyl chains at the periphery show mesophase properties when they are complexed with trinitrofluorenone at different temperatures.     

Polyhydroxylated macrolide isolated from the endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis mangiferae

A new polyhydroxylated macrolide, named mangiferaelactone (1) was isolated from a solid culture of the endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis manguiferae, together with ten known compounds [(6S,1′S)-LL-P880α; (6S,1′S,2′R)-LL-P880β; (1′S,2′R)-LL-880γ; (1′R)-dehydropestalotin; (−)-5-carboxylmellein; (−)-5-methylmellein; (−)-5-hydroxylmethylmellein; arabenoic acid; 5,6-dihydro-4-methoxy-2H-pyran-2-one; and the (−)-2-hexylidene-3-methylsuccinic acid]. P. manguiferae was isolated from Hyptis dilatata, a small shrub common in the central region of Panama. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic methods (IR, MS, optical rotation, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy). The absolute configuration of 1 was established as 4R,7R,8R,9S by application of vibrational circular dichroism (VCD). Compound 1 showed a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 1.6863 mg/mL against Listeria monocytogenes, and 0.5529 mg/mL against Bacillus cereus. No activity was observed for compound 1 against Plasmodium falciparum or Trypanosoma cruzi; likewise, no cytotoxic activity was observed against A2058 and H522-T1 cells.