Thomas Paululat

Cytotoxic spirostane-type saponins from the roots of Chlorophytum borivilianum.

Four new spirostane-type saponins named borivilianosides E-H (1-4) were isolated from an ethanol extract of the roots of Chlorophytum borivilianum together with two known steroid saponins (5 and 6). The structures of 1-4 were elucidated using mainly 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry. The cytotoxicity of borivilianosides F (2), G (3), and H (4) and three known compounds was evaluated using two human colon cancer cell lines (HT-29 and HCT 116).

Organisation of the Biosynthetic Gene Cluster and Tailoring Enzymes in the Biosynthesis of the Tetracyclic Quinone Glycoside Antibiotic Polyketomycin

Surprising results regarding the function of methyltransferases and oxygenases: Investigations on oxygenase and methyltransferase genes that are located in the polyketomycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces diastatochromogenes Tü6028 shed light into polyketide‐modifying reactions.

Deuterated polymer gels for measuring anisotropic NMR parameters with strongly reduced artefacts

Perdeuterated poly(styrene) is introduced as an almost artefact-free and arbitrarily scalable alignment medium for measuring residual dipolar couplings and other anisotropic NMR parameters; the spectral quality achievable in this new medium is demonstrated for HSQC spectra leading to the conformational analysis of staurosporine and homonuclear TOCSY-type experiments.

Cytotoxic acacic acid glycosides from the roots of Albizia coriaria.

Two new oleanane-type saponins, coriariosides A (1) and B (2), along with a known saponin, gummiferaoside C (3), were isolated from the roots of Albizia coriaria. Their structures were established by extensive analysis of 1D and 2D NMR experiments (COSY, ROESY, TOCSY, HSQC, and HMBC) and mass spectrometry. Compounds 1 and 3 when tested for cytotoxicity against two colorectal human cancer cells showed activity against the HCT 116 (IC50 4.2 microM for 1 and 2.7 microM for 3) and HT-29 (IC50 6.7 microM for 1 and 7.9 microM for 3) cell lines.

Steroidal saponins from two species of Dracaena.

Four new steroidal saponins (1-4) were isolated from the stem and bark of two species of Dracaena: deistelianosides A and B (1 and 2) from D. deisteliana and arboreasaponins A and B (3 and 4) from D. arborea. Six known saponins and one known sapogenin were also isolated. The structures of 1-4 were established as diosgenin 3-O-[3-O-sulfate-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-beta-d-glucopyranoside (1), 1-O-beta-d-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-beta-d-fucopyranosyl(23S,24S)-spirosta-5,25(27)-diene-1beta,3beta,23alpha,24alpha-tetrol 24-O-alpha-l-arabinopyranoside (2), pennogenin-3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-[6-O-acetyl]-beta-d-glucopyranoside (3), and 24alpha-hydroxypennogenin 3-O-alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)]-beta-d-glucopyranoside (4) using extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses and mass spectrometry. Cytotoxic activity of several of these compounds was evaluated against the HT-29 and HCT 116 human colon cancer cell lines.

Steroidal Saponins from Chlorophytum orchidastrum

Six new spirostane-type saponins (1-6), named orchidastrosides A-F, and chloromaloside D were isolated from an ethanol extract of the roots of Chlorophytum orchidastrum. The saponins have neotigogenin or neogitogenin as the aglycon and oligosaccharidic chains possessing seven to nine sugar units. Their structures were elucidated mainly by 2D NMR spectroscopic analyses (COSY, TOCSY, NOESY, HSQC, and HMBC) and FABMS and HRESIMS. Compounds 1-6 were tested for cytotoxicity against two human colon cancer cell lines, HCT 116 and HT-29.

Cloning and heterologous expression of three type II PKS gene clusters from Streptomyces bottropensis.

Mensacarcin is a potent cytotoxic agent isolated from Streptomyces bottropensis. It possesses a high content of oxygen atoms and two epoxide groups, and shows cytostatic and cytotoxic activity comparable to that of doxorubicin, a widely used drug for antitumor therapy. Another natural compound, rishirilide A, was also isolated from the fermentation broth of S. bottropensis. Screening a cosmid library of S. bottropensis with minimal PKS‐gene‐specific primers revealed the presence of three different type II polyketide synthase (PKS) gene clusters in this strain: the msn cluster (mensacarcin biosynthesis), the rsl cluster (rishirilide biosynthesis), and the mec cluster (putative spore pigment biosynthesis). Interestingly, luciferase‐like oxygenases, which are very rare in Streptomyces species, are enriched in both the msn cluster and the rsl cluster. Three cosmids, cos2 (containing the major part of the msn cluster), cos3 (harboring the mec cluster), and cos4 (spanning probably the whole rsl cluster) were introduced into the general heterologous host Streptomyces albus by intergeneric conjugation. Expression of cos2 and cos4 in S. albus led to the production of didesmethylmensacarcin (DDMM, a precursor of mensacarcin) and the production of rishirilide A and B (a precursor of rishirilide A), respectively. However, no product was detected from the expression of cos3. In addition, based on the results of isotope‐feeding experiments in S. bottropensis, a putative biosynthesis pathway for mensacarcin is proposed.

Cytotoxic steroidal glycosides from Allium flavum.

Three new spirostane-type glycosides (1-3) were isolated from the whole plant of Allium flavum. Their structures were elucidated mainly by 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis and mass spectrometry as (20S,25R)-2α-hydroxyspirost-5-en-3β-yl O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-[β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→2)]-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-galactopyranoside (1), (20S,25R)-2α-hydroxyspirost-5-en-3β-yl O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)]-β-D-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-galactopyranoside (2), and (20S,25R)-spirost-5-en-3β-yl O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-[β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)]-β-D-glucopyranoside (3). The three saponins were evaluated for cytotoxicity against a human cancer cell line (colorectal SW480).

Phenelfamycins G and H, new elfamycin-type antibiotics produced by Streptomyces albospinus Acta 3619

Phenelfamycins G and H are new members of the family of elfamycin antibiotics with the basic structure of phenelfamycins E and F, respectively, which are also well known as ganefromycins α and β. Phenelfamycins G and H differ from phenelfamycins E and F by an additional hydroxy group at position C-30, which is not described so far for any of the elfamycin-type antibiotics. The actinomycete strain that produced phenelfamycins G and H was identified to be Streptomyces albospinus based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence. Phenelfamycins G and H exhibit a narrow antibacterial spectrum with a pronounced inhibitory activity against Propionibacterium acnes.

Tetrapterosides A and B, two new oleanane-type saponins from Tetrapleura tetraptera.

From the stem bark of Tetrapleura tetraptera, two new oleanane‐type saponins, tetrapteroside A 3‐O‐{6‐O‐[(2E,6S)‐2,6‐dimethyl‐6‐hydroxyocta‐2,7‐dienoyl]‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐[β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)]‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl}‐3,27‐dihydroxyoleanolic acid (1), and tetrapteroside B 3‐O‐{ β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)‐6‐O‐[(E)‐feruloyl]‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 3)‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 4)‐[β‐D‐glucopyranosyl‐(1 → 2)]‐β‐D‐glucopyranosyl}‐3,27‐dihydroxyoleanolic acid (2), were isolated. Further extractions from the roots led to the isolation of four known oleanane‐type saponins. Their structures were elucidated by the combination of mass spectrometry (MS), one and two‐dimensional NMR experiments. Copyright