Exploiting the Potential of Meroterpenoid Cyclases to Expand the Chemical Space of Fungal Meroterpenoids

Fungal meroterpenoids are a diverse group of hybrid natural products with impressive structural complexity and high potential as drug candidates. In this work, we evaluate the promiscuity of the early structure diversity-generating step in fungal meroterpenoid biosynthetic pathways: the multibond-forming polyene cyclizations catalyzed by the yet poorly understood family of fungal meroterpenoid cyclases. In total, 12 unnatural meroterpenoids were accessed chemoenzymatically using synthetic substrates. Their complex structures were determined by 2D NMR studies as well as crystalline-sponge-based X-ray diffraction analyses. The results obtained revealed a high degree of enzyme promiscuity and experimental results which together with quantum chemical calculations provided a deeper insight into the catalytic activity of this new family of non-canonical, terpene cyclases. The knowledge obtained paves the way to design and engineer artificial pathways towards second generation meroterpenoids with valuable bioactivities based on combinatorial biosynthetic strategies.     

(±) Gancochlearols A and B: cytotoxic and COX-2 inhibitory meroterpenoids from Ganoderma cochlear

Abstract

(+)- and (?)-gancochlearols A (1) and B (2), two pairs of dimeric mertoterpenoid enantiomers were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma cochlear. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods. Biological assessments show that the enantiomers of 1 and 2 are cytotoxic against three human cancer cell lines (A549, K562, Huh-7) and could inhibit COX-2 expression with IC₅₀ values less than 10?μM.     

Guapsidial A and Guadials B and C: Three New Meroterpenoids with Unusual Skeletons from the Leaves of Psidium guajava

A novel sesquiterpene‐based Psidium meroterpenoid, possessing an unusual coupling pattern, and two new monoterpene‐based meroterpenoids with unprecedented skeletons were isolated from the leaves of Psidium guajava. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic, X‐ray diffraction, and computational methods. The plausible biosynthetic pathway of these meroterpenoids as well as their cytotoxicities toward HepG2 and HepG2/ADM cells were also discussed.     

Asymmetric Total Synthesis of ent‐Pyripyropene A

An asymmetric total synthesis of ent‐pyripyropene A was achieved by a convergent synthetic route. We used our originally developed Ti^III‐catalyzed radical cyclization to construct an AB‐ring portion that consisted of a trans‐decalin skeleton with five contiguous stereogenic centers. The coupling between the AB‐ring and the DE‐ring portions, and a subsequent C‐ring cyclization, led to the total synthesis of ent‐pyripyropene A. An evaluation of the insecticidal activity of ent‐pyripyropene A against two aphid species revealed that ent‐pyripyropene A was 35–175 times less active than naturally occurring pyripyropene A. This result indicated that the biological target of pyripyropene A recognizes the absolute configuration of pyripyropene A.     

DMOA-based meroterpenoids with diverse scaffolds from the sponge-associated fungus Penicillium brasilianum

Bioinformatics analysis of the synthetic gene clusters in association with the qRT-PCR detection led to speculate a marine derived fungus, Penicillium brasilianum WZXY-m122-9, to be potential to produce meroterpenoids. Chromatographic separation of the EtOAc extract of this fungal strain on a large-scale fermentation resulted in the isolation of six new DMOA-related meroterpenoids, namely brasilianoids G?L (1–6), together with nine known meroterpenes. Their structures were determined by extensive analyses of spectroscopic data, including the X-ray diffraction and the ECD data for configurational assignment. Brasilianoid G is characterized by the presence of an unprecedented scaffold bearing a 6/6/5/5/5 pentacyclic nucleus, while brasilianoid K possessing a 7/6/6/6/5 pentacyclic system is uncommonly found from nature. The biogenetic relationship among the isolated compounds was postulated based on the comparative analyses of gene clusters. Brasilianoid L (6), austinol (12), and dehydroaustin (14) exhibited significant inhibition against bacteria invasion into host cells, that was suggested to be mediated by preventing the polymerization of actin in the host cells.     

Oxandrastins: Antibacterial Meroterpenes from an Australian Mud Dauber Wasp Nest-Associated Fungus,Penicillium sp. CMB-MD14

The ethyl acetate extract of an ISP-2 agar cultivation of the wasp nest-associated fungus Penicillium sp. CMB-MD14 exhibited promising antibacterial activity against vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), with a bioassay guided chemical investigation yielding the new meroterpene, oxandrastin A (1), the first andrastin-like metabolite with an extra oxygenation at C-2. A culture media optimisation strategy informed a scaled-up rice cultivation that yielded 1, together with three new oxandrastins B–D (2–4), two known andrastins C (5) and F (6), and a new meroterpene of the austalide family, isoaustalide F (7). Structures of 1–7 were assigned based on detailed spectroscopic analysis and chemical interconversion. A GNPS molecular networking analysis of the rice cultivation extract detected the known austalides B (8), H (9), and H acid (10), tentatively identified based on molecular formulae and co-clustering with 7. That the anti-VRE properties of the CMB-MD14 extract were exclusively attributed to 1 (IC₅₀ 6.0 µM, MIC₉₉ 13.9 µM), highlights the importance of the 2-OAc and 3-OAc moieties to the oxandrastin anti-VRE pharmacophore.     

Bioactive α-pyrone meroterpenoids from mangrove endophytic fungus Penicillium sp.

Five α-pyrone meroterpenoids, including one new 3-epiarigsugacin E (1) and four known compounds, arisugacin D (2), arisugacin B (3), territrem C (4) and terreulactone C (5) were obtained from the marine fungus Penicillium sp. SK5GW1L. Their structures were identified by MS and NMR experiments, and the absolute configuration of compound 1 was further confirmed by low temperature (150 K) single crystal X-ray diffraction with Cu Kα radiation. Compounds 3, 4 and 5 showed strong inhibitory activities against acetylcholinesterase (AchE) with IC₅₀ values of 3.03, 0.23 and 0.028 μM, respectively.     

Enantioselective Total Synthesis of Terreumols A and C from the Mushroom Tricholoma terreum

The cytotoxic meroterpenoids terreumol A and C from the grey knight mushroom Tricholoma terreum were synthesized for the first time. The key step of the enantioselective total synthesis of terreumol C is a ring‐closing metathesis to form a trisubstituted Z double bond embedded in the 10‐membered ring of the [8.4.0] bicycle. Interestingly, the presence of a free hydroxy group in the metathesis precursor prevents cyclization and favors cross metathesis. (?)‐Terreumol C was converted into (?)‐terreumol A by diastereoselective epoxidation. Starting from 2‐bromo‐3,5‐dimethoxybenzaldehyde, 14 steps with an overall yield of 23 % are needed for the synthesis of (?)‐terreumol A. X‐ray analysis of the benzoquinone analogue of terreumol A provides independent proof of the absolute configuration.     

Reconstituted biosynthesis of fungal meroterpenoid andrastin A

Andrastins (andrastin A-D), produced by several Penicillium species, exhibit inhibitory activity against ras farnesyltransferase, suggesting that these compounds could be promising leads for antitumor agents. Although the genome sequence of Penicillium chrysogenum, an andrastin-producing species, is available, the genetic and molecular bases for the biosynthesis of andrastins have not been elucidated. Here we report the identification and characterization of the gene cluster for andrastin biosynthesis. We reconstituted the biosynthetic pathway in Aspergillus oryzae, a fungal expression host, by the co-expression of five genes, including that of a terpene cyclase, and of four genes encoding the tailoring enzymes, required for the generation of andrastins. Remarkably, we successfully obtained andrastin A, the most complex andrastin molecule, as the metabolite of nine gene products, thus confirming the potential of the fungal expression system to synthesize useful natural products.     

Construction of Bridged Polycyclic Systems by Polyene Cyclization

A stereoselective construction of bridged tri‐ and tetracyclic systems embedded in some 3,5‐dimethylorsellinic acid (DMOA)‐derived meroterpenoids was achieved by exploiting a polyene cyclization of suitably functionalized epoxyallylsilanes. Both the olefinic substituent on the epoxide and allylic trimethylsilyl (TMS) group were found to play pivotal roles in the success of the present reaction. The fact that the cyclization of monocyclized byproducts did not proceed strongly suggests that the reaction could be a concerted transformation.