Shigeki Matsunaga

Gliotoxin analogues from a marine-derived fungus, Penicillium sp., and their cytotoxic and histone methyltransferase inhibitory activities.

Seven gliotoxin-related compounds were isolated from the fungus Penicillium sp. strain JMF034, obtained from deep sea sediments of Suruga Bay, Japan. These included two new metabolites, bis(dethio)-10a-methylthio-3a-deoxy-3,3a-didehydrogliotoxin (1) and 6-deoxy-5a,6-didehydrogliotoxin (2), and five known metabolites (3-7). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and the application of the modified Moshers analysis. All of the compounds exhibited cytotoxic activity, whereas compounds containing a disulfide bond showed potent inhibitory activity against histone methyltransferase (HMT) G9a. None of them inhibited HMT SET7/9.

The single cellular green microalga Botryococcus braunii, race B possesses three distinct 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthases.

Green algae exclusively use the methylerythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids. The first enzyme of this pathway is 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS, EC 2.2.1.7). Green algae have been thought to possess only a single DXS, in contrast to land plants, which have at least two isoforms that serve different roles in metabolism. The green microalga Botryococcus braunii has an extraordinary isoprenoid metabolism, as it produces large amounts of triterpene hydrocarbons. Here, we did cDNA cloning of DXSs from B. braunii and examined enzyme activities of the heterologously expressed proteins. Three distinct DXS isoforms were identified, all of which were functional and had similar kinetic properties, whereas the temperature dependence of enzyme activity showed considerable differences. Transcription of the genes was examined by real time quantitative RT-PCR. The three DXS genes were simultaneously expressed, and the expression levels were highest on day six after subculturing. B. braunii is the first green microalga demonstrated to have multiple DXS isoforms like land plants. This difference to other microalgae seems to mirror its special needs for extensive triterpene production by increasing the metabolic flow through the MEP pathway.

Nazumazoles A–C, Cyclic Pentapeptides Dimerized through a Disulfide Bond from the Marine Sponge Theonella swinhoei

A mixture of nazumazoles A-C (1-3) was purified from the extract of the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei. The mixture was eluted as an extraordinarily broad peak in the reversed-phase HPLC. The structures of nazumazoles were determined by interpretation of the NMR data and chemical degradations. Nazumazoles contain one residue each of alanine-derived oxazole and α-keto-β-amino acid residue. Nazumazoles exhibited cytotoxicity against P388 cells.

Lower homologues of ahpatinin, aspartic protease inhibitors, from a marine Streptomyces sp.

Two linear peptides, ahpatinin Ac (1) and ahpatinin Pr (2), were isolated together with the known ahpatinin (i)Bu, pepstatin Ac, pepstatin Pr, and pepsinostreptin from a Streptomyces sp. derived from a deep-sea sediment. The structure of ahpatinin Pr (2) was assigned by interpretation of NMR data and HPLC analysis of the hydrolysate after converting to the DNP-L-Val derivative. During the LCMS analysis of the acid hydrolysate, products arising from the retro-aldol cleavage of the statine and Ahppa units in 2 were observed and could facilitate the determination of the absolute configuration of the statine class of nonproteinogenic amino acids. Both ahpatinin Ac (1) and ahpatinin Pr (2) potently inhibited pepsin and moderately inhibited cathepsin B.

Biosynthetic Gene Cluster for Surugamide A Encompasses an Unrelated Decapeptide, Surugamide F

Genome mining is a powerful method for finding novel secondary metabolites. In our study on the biosynthetic gene cluster for the cyclic octapeptides surugamidesu2005A–E (inhibitors of cathepsinu2005B), we found a putative gene cluster consisting of four successive non‐ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) genes, surA, surB, surC, and surD. Prediction of amino acid sequence based on the NRPSs and gene inactivation revealed that surugamidesu2005A–E are produced by two NRPS genes, surA and surD, which were separated by two NRPS genes, surB and surC. The latter genes are responsible for the biosynthesis of an unrelated peptide, surugamideu2005F. The pattern of intercalation observed in the sur genes is unprecedented. The structure of surugamideu2005F, a linear decapeptide containing one 3‐amino‐2‐methylpropionic acid (AMPA) residue, was determined by spectroscopic methods and was confirmed by solid‐phase peptide synthesis.

Cytotoxic Glycosylated Fatty Acid Amides from a Stelletta sp. Marine Sponge

We have discovered new glycosylated fatty acid amides, stellettosides, from a Stelletta sp. marine sponge. They were detected through LC-MS analysis of the extract combined with the cytotoxicity assay of the prefractionated sample. Their planar structures were determined by analyses of the NMR and tandem FABMS data. Stellettosides A1 and A2 (1 and 2) as well as stellettosides B1-B4 (3-6) were obtained as inseparable mixtures. Careful analysis of the NMR and tandem FABMS data of each mixture, along with comparison of the tandem FABMS data with that of a synthetic model compound, permitted us to assign the structure of the constituents in the mixture. The absolute configuration of the monosaccharide unit was determined by LC-MS after chiral derivatization. The relative configurations of the vicinal oxygenated methines in the fatty acid chains were assigned by the (1)H NMR data of the isopropylidene derivative. The mixture of stellettosides B1-B4 (3-6) exhibit moderate cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells with an IC50 value of 9 μM, whereas the mixture of stellettosides A1 and A2 (1 and 2) was not active at a concentration of 10 μM.

Isolation of Ciliatamide D from a Marine Sponge Stelletta sp. and a Reinvestigation of the Configuration of Ciliatamide A

A new lipopeptide, ciliatamide D (1), was isolated from a marine sponge Stelletta sp., collected at Oshimashinsone, together with the known compound ciliatamide A (2). Ciliatamide D (1) is a congener of 2, in which N-Me-Phe is replaced by N-Me-Met(O). Marfeys analysis of the acid hydrolysate of 1 demonstrated that the two constituent amino acids were both in the l-form. This result prompted us to carefully investigate the configuration of 2, resulting in the assignment of the l-form for both residues.

Structural reappraisal of corticatic acids, biologically active linear polyacetylenes, from a marine sponge of the genus Petrosia

Structural reinvestigation of corticatic acid A from a marine sponge, Petrosia sp., resulted in the revision of its structure, which conformed to the structural features of the biosynthetically related linear acetylenes isolated from Petrosia sp. In the process of isolating an authentic corticatic acid A, we isolated three new congeners and determined their structures. We also suggested that the structures of other corticatic acids need revision.

Yakushinamides, Polyoxygenated Fatty Acid Amides That Inhibit HDACs and SIRTs, from the Marine Sponge Theonella swinhoei

Yakushinamides A (1) and B (2), prolyl amides of polyoxygenated fatty acids, have been isolated from the marine sponge Theonella swinhoei as inhibitors of HDACs and SIRTs. Their planar structures were determined by interpretation of the NMR data of the intact molecules and tandem FABMS data of the methanolysis products. For the assignment of the relative configurations of the three contiguous oxymethine carbons in 1 and 2, Kishis universal NMR database was applied to the methanolysis products. During the assignments of relative configurations of the isolated 1-hydroxy-3-methyl moiety in 1 and the isolated 1-hydroxy-2-methyl moiety in 2, we found diagnostic NMR features to distinguish each pair of diastereomers. The absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were determined by a combination of the modified Moshers method and Marfeys method. Although the modified Moshers method was successfully applied to the methanolysis product of 1, this method gave an ambiguous result at C-20 when applied to the methanolysis product of 2, even after oxidative cleavage of the C-14 and C-15 bond.