Non‐Heme Dioxygenase Catalyzes Atypical Oxidations of 6,7‐Bicyclic Systems To Form the 6,6‐Quinolone Core of Viridicatin‐Type Fungal Alkaloids |
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| Authors: | Noriyasu Ishikawa Dr. Hidenori Tanaka Dr. Fumi Koyama Prof. Dr. Hiroshi Noguchi Prof. Dr. Clay C. C. Wang Prof. Dr. Kinya Hotta Prof. Dr. Kenji Watanabe |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka 422‐8526 (Japan);2. Current address: Science Research Center, Oceanography Section, Kochi University, Kochi 780‐8073 (Japan);3. Departments of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089 (USA);4. School of Biosciences, The University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus, Selangor 43500 (Malaysia) |
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| Abstract: | The 6,6‐quinolone scaffold of the viridicatin‐type of fungal alkaloids are found in various quinolone alkaloids which often exhibit useful biological activities. Thus, it is of interest to identify viridicatin‐forming enzymes and understand how such alkaloids are biosynthesized. Here an Aspergillal gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of 4′‐methoxyviridicatin was identified. Detailed in vitro studies led to the discovery of the dioxygenase AsqJ which performs two distinct oxidations: first desaturation to form a double bond and then monooxygenation of the double bond to install an epoxide. Interestingly, the epoxidation promotes non‐enzymatic rearrangement of the 6,7‐bicyclic core of 4′‐methoxycyclopenin into the 6,6‐quinolone viridicatin scaffold to yield 4′‐methoxyviridicatin. The finding provides new insight into the biosynthesis of the viridicatin scaffold and suggests dioxygenase as a potential tool for 6,6‐quinolone synthesis by epoxidation of benzodiazepinediones. |
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| Keywords: | alkaloids enzymes gene expression natural products oxidations |
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