Mona El-Neketi

Alkaloids and Polyketides from Penicillium citrinum, an Endophyte Isolated from the Moroccan Plant Ceratonia siliqua

The endophytic fungus Penicillium citrinum was isolated from a fresh stem of the Moroccan plant Ceratonia siliqua. Extracts of P. citrinum grown on rice and white bean media yielded five new compounds, namely, citriquinochroman (1), tanzawaic acids G and H (2 and 3), 6-methylcurvulinic acid (4), 8-methoxy-3,5-dimethylisoquinolin-6-ol (5), and one new natural product, 1,2,3,11b-tetrahydroquinolactacide (6), which had previously been described as a synthetic compound. In addition, 13 known compounds including seven alkaloids and six polyketides were isolated. The structures of the new compounds were unambiguously determined on the basis of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy as well as by high-resolution mass spectrometry. Citriquinochroman (1) features a new skeleton, consisting of quinolactacide and (3S)-6-hydroxy-8-methoxy-3,5-dimethylisochroman linked by a C-C bond. 1,2,3,11b-Tetrahydroquinolactacide (6) may be a biogenetic precursor of quinolactacide. Citriquinochroman (1) showed cytotoxicity against the murine lymphoma L5178Y cell line with an IC50 value of 6.1 μM, while the other compounds were inactive (IC50 >10 μM) in this assay.

Metabolites from the Fungal Endophyte Aspergillus austroafricanus in Axenic Culture and in Fungal–Bacterial Mixed Cultures

The endophytic fungus Aspergillus austroafricanus isolated from leaves of the aquatic plant Eichhornia crassipes was fermented axenically on solid rice medium as well as in mixed cultures with Bacillus subtilis or with Streptomyces lividans. Chromatographic analysis of EtOAc extract of axenic cultures afforded two new metabolites, namely, the xanthone dimer austradixanthone (1) and the sesquiterpene (+)-austrosene (2), along with five known compounds (3-7). Austradixanthone (1) represents the first highly oxygenated heterodimeric xanthone derivative. When A. austroafricanus was grown in mixed cultures with B. subtilis or with S. lividans, several diphenyl ethers (8-11) including the new austramide (8) were induced up to 29-fold. The structures of new compounds were unambiguously elucidated using 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy, HRESIMS, and chemical derivatization. Compound 7 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against the murine lymphoma L5178Y cell line (EC50 is 12.6 μM). In addition, compounds 9 and 10, which were enhanced in mixed fungal/bacterial cultures, proved to be active against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 700699) with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 25 μM each (6.6 μg/mL), whereas compound 11 revealed moderate antibacterial activity against B. subtilis 168 trpC2 with an MIC value of 34.8 μM (8 μg/mL).

Natural Products from Deep-Sea-Derived Fungi ̶ A New Source of Novel Bioactive Compounds?

BACKGROUND Over the last two decades, deep-sea-derived fungi are considered to be a new source of pharmacologically active secondary metabolites for drug discovery mainly based on the underlying assumption that the uniqueness of the deep sea will give rise to equally unprecedented natural products. Indeed, up to now over 200 new metabolites have been identified from deep-sea fungi, which is in support of the statement made above. RESULTS This review summarizes the new and/or bioactive compounds reported from deepsea- derived fungi in the last six years (2010 - October 2016) and critically evaluates whether the data published so far really support the notion that these fungi are a promising source of new bioactive chemical entities.

Lactones from the Sponge-Derived Fungus Talaromyces rugulosus

The marine-derived fungus Talaromyces rugulosus isolated from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella cannabina and cultured on solid rice medium yielded seventeen lactone derivatives including five butenolides (1–5), seven (3S)-resorcylide derivatives (6–12), two butenolide-resorcylide dimers (13 and 14), and three dihydroisocoumarins (15–17). Among them, fourteen compounds (1–3, 6–16) are new natural products. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy as well as by ESI-HRMS (ElectroSpray Ionization-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry). TDDFT-ECD (Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory-Electronic Circular Dichroism) calculations were performed to determine the absolute configurations of chiral compounds. The butenolide-resorcylide dimers talarodilactones A and B (13 and 14) exhibited potent cytotoxicity against the L5178Y murine lymphoma cell line with IC50 values of 3.9 and 1.3 µM, respectively.

Anti-infective Compounds from Marine Organisms

The marine environment is a prolific source of bioactive compounds. During the last decades, research on marine-derived plants, animals, and microbes has provided an impressive number of structurally diverse anti-infective agents with antibacterial, antifungal, antiprotozoal, or antiviral activities. Moreover, several of these compounds possess novel mechanisms of action, which underlines their potential as leads in drug discovery. The present chapter provides an overview on marine-derived anti-infective agents, covering the literature between 2010 and 2016, with special focus on their structural features and mechanisms of action.

A new depsidone derivative from mangrove sediment derived fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae

Abstract A new depsidone derivative botryorhodine I (1), along with eight known compounds (2-9) were obtained from solid rice cultures of the fungal strain, Lasiodiplodia theobromae M4.2-2 isolated from a mangrove sediment sample. The structures of the isolated compounds were elucidated on the basis of 1 D and 2 D NMR analysis as well as by HRESIMS. All compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic potential against the mouse lymphoma cell line L5178Y as well as for their antibacterial activities against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains. Compound 3 revealed potent cytotoxic activity with an IC50 of 7.3 µM whereas compound 7 showed selective anti-bacterial activity against different S. aureus and E. faecium bacterial strains with MIC value of 25 µg/ml. Graphical Abstract