Hofmannolin, a cyanopeptolin from Scytonema hofmanni PCC 7110

Two depsipeptide metabolites, scyptolin A and B, were reported recently from the axenically grown terrestrial cyanobacterium Scytonema hofmanni PCC 7110. A related, novel depsipeptide was isolated from this Scytonema and designated hofmannolin. The amino acid analysis in context with infrared, mass and 1H/13C-NMR spectroscopies revealed a cyclic depsipeptide structure of M(r) 1073 belonging to the class of cyanopeptolins. Two peculiar features distinguish hofmannolin from other cyanopeptolins: O-methylated tyrosine forms the sixth moiety from the amino terminus, and the N-terminus is blocked by 2-hydroxy-3-methyl-valeric acid, a residue that has not yet been reported as a component in other cyanopeptolins. Preliminary assays of peptidase inhibitory and antimicrobial activities suggested negligible bioactivities for hofmannolin.     

Isolation and structure determination of a proteasome inhibitory metabolite from a culture of Scytonema hofmanni

Cyanobacteria, blue-green algae, are a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites with many potential applications. The ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic system plays an important role in selective protein degradation and regulates cellular events including apoptosis. Cancer cells are more sensitive to the proapoptotic effects of proteasome inhibition than normal cells. Thus, proteasome inhibitors can be potential anticancer agents. Cyanobacteria have been shown to be a rich source of highly effective inhibitors of proteases. A proteasome inhibitor was screened from an extract of the culture of Scytonema hofmanni on the basis of its inhibitory activity, which led to the isolation of nostodione A with an IC(50) value of 50 microM. Its structure was determined by spectroscopic methods such as 1H-NMR and ESI-MS spectral analyses.     

Porpoisamides A and B, two novel epimeric cyclic depsipeptides from a Florida Keys collection of Lyngbya sp

NMR-guided fractionation of a non-polar extract of a Florida Keys collection of Lyngbya sp. resulted in the isolation of two novel epimeric cyclic depsipeptides, porpoisamides A (1) and B (2). The planar structures of these compounds were determined using NMR spectroscopic techniques. The absolute configurations of amino and hydroxy acid subunits were assigned by enantioselective HPLC analysis. These compounds showed weak cytotoxicity towards HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma and U2OS osteosarcoma cells. The porpoisamides are a unique pair of cyclic depsipeptides that are epimeric at C-2 of the β-amino acid, 3-amino-2-methyloctanoic acid.     

Wewakamide A and guineamide G, cyclic depsipeptides from the marine cyanobacteria Lyngbya semiplena and Lyngbya majuscula

Two new cyclic depsipeptides wewakamide A (1) and guineamide G (2) have been isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Lyngbya semiplena and Lyngbya majuscula, respectively, collected from Papua New Guinea. The amino and hydroxy acid partial structures of wewakamide A and guineamide G were elucidated through extensive spectroscopic techniques, including HR-FABMS, 1D (1)H and (13)C NMR, as well as 2D COSY, HSQC, HSQCTOCSY, and HMBC spectra. The sequence of the residues of wewakamide A was determined through a combination of ESI-MS/MS, HMBC, and ROESY. Wewakamide A possesses a β-amino acid, 3-amino-2-methylbutanoic acid (Maba) residue, which has only been previously identified in two natural products, guineamide B (3) and dolastatin D (4). Although both new compounds (1,2) showed potent brine shrimp toxicity, only guineamide G displayed significant cytotoxicity to a mouse neuroblastoma cell line with LC(50) values of 2.7 micrometer.     

A simple rapid procedure for obtaining axenic cultures from monoxenic cultures of myxomycete plasmodia

Axenic culture of myxomycete plasmodia has been attempted from time to time by various authors, but with very little success. From over 500 known species of myxomycetes, fewer than 20 species have been reported in axenic culture to date, including axenic myxamoebal cultures. In these cultures, the plasmodia required either complex media, or a killed bacterial supplement for growth. Furthermore, the time required for attaining the axenic state varied from several months to years. In the present study, a simple, rapid procedure has been developed to render monoxenic plasmodial cultures axenic. This procedure is based on our discovery that plasmodia have certain unusual substrate preferences that are inhibitory to the associated bacteria using Physarella oblonga as a model. The presence or absence of the bacteria could be ascertained through incubation in four different bacteriological media and by the use of a differential staining technique.     

Thymidine incorporation into algal DNA from axenic cultures of Synechococcus, Chlorella and Tetraselmis

The incorporation of tritiated ([³H]-) thymidine into DNA by axenic laboratory cultures of a common marine blue-green algae and two marine eukaryotic algae was measured. Tritiated thymidine was incorporated into the cold TCA fraction of the cyanobacterium and eukaryote algae. However, only in the culture of cyanobacterium was the thymidine consistently incorporated into DNA. Considering the usual algal densities in natural habitats, thymidine concentrations and incubation times, our data do not preclude the use of thymidine incorporation in bacterial production studies in marine environments.     

Sacculatane diterpenoids from axenic cultures of the liverwort Fossombronia wondraczekii

Five new sacculatane diterpenoids, 17,18-epoxy-7-sacculaten-12,11-olide, 7,17-sacculatadien-11,12-olide, 11beta,12-epoxy-7,17-sacculatadien-11alpha-ol, 1beta-acetoxy-11beta,12-epoxy-7,17-sacculatadien-11alpha-ol and 1beta,15xi-diacetoxy-11,12-epoxy-8(12),9(11),17-sacculatatriene along with sacculatal and sacculatanolide have been isolated from axenic cultures of the liverwort Fossombronia wondraczekii and their structures assigned on the basis of their spectroscopical properties.     

Regulation of scytophycin accumulation in cultures of Scytonema ocellatum. II. Nutrient requirements

The effects of optimal sources and concentrations of major nutrients (supplying N, S, P, K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and inorganic carbon) and organic buffers on growth and secondary metabolite accumulation in Scytonema ocellatum strain FF-66-3 were determined. Nitrate, phosphate, magnesium, and sulfur had no specific stimulatory or inhibitory effects on scytophycin accumulation within the range of concentrations that supported optimal growth. Calcium concentrations greater than those required for growth (0.1 mM) stimulated scytophycin accumulation. Sodium carbonate concentrations in excess of 0.25 mM strongly inhibited growth. Ammonium (2.5 mM) inhibited both growth and product formation. 3-[N-Morpholino]propanesulfonic acid at 3–5 mM effectively controlled pH and facilitated both growth and product formation.     

Design, synthesis, conformational and membrane ion transport studies of proline-adamantane hybrid cyclic depsipeptides

The design, synthesis, conformational, crystallographic, and ion transport studies of 30-membered, proline containing depsipeptides that incorporate the rigid low molecular weight lipophilic adamantane (Adm) building blocks are reported. The adamantyl groups provide the desired membrane permeability and conformational constraint for efficient transport in lipid membranes. The novel cyclic depsipeptides are: c[--Adm--C(O)--Pro-- O--CH(2)-- CHR--NH--C(O)--Pro--C(O)-- Adm--C(O)--Pro--C(O)--NH--CHR--CH(2)-- O--Pro--C(O)--] where R==H for A and R==CONH--Adm for B. Crystal structure analysis of A established that the two peptide segments are identical in formula and in conformation and that the peptides are bonded to the interleaving Adm at the 1 and 3 positions. However, the complete ring is highly asymmetric in shape since bonds for both Peptide-Adm-Peptide segments have the syn-anti motif. Torsional angles for the connecting bonds to Adm are -162 degrees , +71 degrees and -169 degrees , -48 degrees . The irregular clamshell shape of the molecule has three internal C==O moieties directed in a manner that could provide three Na(+)--O ligands. While A exhibited negligible transport of Na(+) ions across membranes, peptide B endowed with two additional adamantanes in the periphery did transport Na(+) ions from outside to inside.     

Persipeptides A and B, two cyclic peptides from Streptomyces sp. UTMC 1154

Two new N-methylated cyclopeptides, persipeptide A (1) and B (2), have been isolated from Streptomyces sp. UTMC1154. Their structures were established using 1D and 2D NMR experiments. 2D TOCSY experiments were applied to identify the amino acid residues, while HMBC correlations were used to determine their sequence. According to Marfey's method, all amino acids had the l-configuration. The two cyclic peptides had the same ring size and amino acid composition, but differed in their sequence; they did not show activity against the tested bacteria, fungi and algae. Molecular identification experiments placed the strain in the genus Streptomyces closely related to Streptomyces coerulescens DSM40146(T) (99.45%) and Streptomyces varsoviensis DSM40346(T) (99.25%).     

Progress in leaf protoplast isolation and culture from virus-free axenic shoot cultures of Vitis vinifera L.

Axenic shoot cultures of virus-free Vitis vinifera L. cv. Soultanina were a highly efficient source for isolation of viable protoplasts. Optimum results were obtained with leaves of 50–100 mg fresh weight, leaf discs of 0.7 cm in diameter, 100 and 15 U ml^-1 Cellulase R-10 and Macerozyme R-10, respectively, and 18 h reaction time in either light or in darkness. Protoplast yield was approx. 25×10⁶ viable protoplasts per g fresh weight and their size ranged from 12 to 44 m. During a 20-day culture period, the maximum survival rate obtained was approx. 40%. A plating density of 10×10⁵ protoplasts per ml resulted in increased survival rates. Various growth regulators and glutamine did not significantly improve survival rates of protoplasts, whereas extract from coconut added to the culture medium caused an increase in the survival rates of protoplasts. Cell elongation at a significant rate and divisions were observed. [¹⁴C]glucose uptake was studied as an index of cell membrane integrity and functioning. Uptake rate of glucose by protoplasts was linear for up to 60 min, fully inhibited by NaN₃, with an optimum pH of 4.8. Protoplasts 24 h old exhibited significantly lower rates of glucose uptake.     

A procedure for axenic isolation of the marine microalga Isochrysis galbana from heavily contaminated mass cultures

Isochrysis galbana, one of the most widely usedmarine microalgae in the rearing of finfish and shellfish larvae, is masscultured frequently in outdoor tanks. Under prolonged and repeated culture,severe contamination occurs. Axenic isolation of I.galbanafrom such cultures was best achieved by using a ternary procedure involvingpercoll-gradient centrifugation, treatment with antibiotics, and growth on agarmedium. Protozoa and other algae were removed most effectively by isolation ofI. galbana at the 30–40% density layer on apercoll-gradient. Removal of bacteria was accomplished using a mixture of 5antibiotics (250 g mL^–1 ampicillin, 50g mL^–1 gentamycin, 100 gmL^–1 kanamycin, 500 gmL^–1 neomycin, 50 gmL^–1 streptomycin). Axenic colonies were isolated fromasolid medium prepared from 1% purified agar. The ternary procedure isconsideredapplicable to the isolation of other axenic single-celled microalgae fromheavily contaminated cultures.     

Synthesis and cytotoxicity of the depsipeptides analogues of callipeltin B

Solid phase synthesis of the cyclic depsipeptides of callipeltin B analogues and evaluation of cytotoxicity of synthetic peptides are described. We attempted to synthesize cyclic depsipeptides via the esterification or the amide bond formation for cyclization steps. In the assay of synthetic peptides, the linear peptide (10) exhibited modest cytotoxicity against HeLa cells.     

YM-254890 analogues, novel cyclic depsipeptides with Galpha(q/11) inhibitory activity from Chromobacterium sp. QS3666

The structure elucidation and biological activity of novel YM-254890 (1) analogues and semi-synthetic derivatives are described. Three natural analogues, YM-254891 (2), YM-254892 (3), and YM-280193 (4), were isolated from the fermentation broth of Chromobacterium sp. QS3666, and two hydrogenated derivatives, YM-385780 (5) and YM-385781 (6), were synthesized from YM-254890. Their structures were determined by one- and two-dimensional NMR studies and mass spectrometry. Among these compounds, two natural analogues 2-3 which possessed acyl groups at beta-HyLeu-1 and one derivative 6 whose conformation was similar to that of 1 showed comparable Galpha(q/11) inhibitory activity to that of 1. This indicates that the acyl beta-HyLeu residue plays an important role in activity and also that the alpha,beta-unsaturated carbonyl group of the N-MeDha residue is not critical to activity. The other hydrogenated derivative 5 had significantly less activity, which could be attributed to conformational differences.     

Strategy to obtain axenic cultures from field-collected samples of the cyanobacterium Phormidium animalis

An efficient strategy, based on a combination of procedures, was developed to obtain axenic cultures from field-collected samples of the cyanobacterium Phormidium animalis. Samples were initially cultured in solid ASN-10 medium, and a crude separation of major contaminants from P. animalis filaments was achieved by washing in a series of centrifugations and resuspensions in liquid medium. Then, manageable filament fragments were obtained by probe sonication. Fragmentation was followed by forceful washing, using vacuum-driven filtration through an 8-microm pore size membrane and an excess of water. Washed fragments were cultured and treated with a sequential exposure to four different antibiotics. Finally, axenic cultures were obtained from serial dilutions of treated fragments. Monitoring under microscope examination and by inoculation in Luria-Bertani (LB) agar plates indicated either axenicity or the degree of contamination throughout the strategy.