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Background Genome sequencing revealed that Streptomyces sp. can dedicate up to ~ 10% of their genomes for the biosynthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites. However, the majority of these biosynthetic gene clusters are only weakly expressed or not at all. Indeed, the biosynthesis of natural products is highly regulated through integrating multiple nutritional and environmental signals perceived by pleiotropic and pathway-specific transcriptional regulators. Although pathway-specific refactoring has been a proved, productive approach for the activation of individual gene clusters, the construction of a global super host strain by targeting pleiotropic-specific genes for the expression of multiple diverse gene clusters is an attractive approach. Results Streptomyces albus J1074 is a gifted heterologous host. To further improve its secondary metabolite expression capability, we rationally engineered the host by targeting genes affecting NADPH availability, precursor flux, cell growth and biosynthetic gene transcriptional activation. These studies led to the activation of the native paulomycin pathway in engineered S. albus strains and importantly the upregulated expression of the heterologous actinorhodin gene cluster. Conclusions Rational engineering of Streptomyces albus J1074 yielded a series of mutants with improved capabilities for native and heterologous expression of secondary metabolite gene clusters.

We report the first isolation of the alkaloid aaptamine from the Philippine marine sponge Stylissa sp. Aaptamine possessed weak antiproliferative activity against HCT116 colon cancer cells and inhibited the proteasome in vitro at 50 µM. These activities may be functionally linked. Due to its known, more potent activity on certain G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), including α-adrenergic and δ-opioid receptors, the compound was profiled more broadly at sub-growth inhibitory concentrations against a panel of 168 GPCRs to potentially reveal additional targets and therapeutic opportunities. GPCRs represent the largest class of drug targets. The primary screen at 20 µM using the β-arrestin functional assay identified the antagonist, agonist, and potentiators of agonist activity of aaptamine. Dose-response analysis validated the α-adrenoreceptor antagonist activity of aaptamine (ADRA2C, IC50 11.9 µM) and revealed the even more potent antagonism of the β-adrenoreceptor (ADRB2, IC50 0.20 µM) and dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4, IC50 6.9 µM). Additionally, aaptamine showed agonist activity on selected chemokine receptors, by itself (CXCR7, EC50 6.2 µM; CCR1, EC50 11.8 µM) or as a potentiator of agonist activity (CXCR3, EC50 31.8 µM; CCR3, EC50 16.2 µM). These GPCRs play a critical role in the treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurological disorders. The results of this study may thus provide novel preventive and therapeutic strategies for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).

Tubulin-targeted chemotherapy has proven to be a successful and wide spectrum strategy against solid and liquidmalignancies. Therefore, new ways to modulate this essential protein could lead to new antitumoral pharmacological approaches. Currently known tubulin agents bind to six distinct sites at α/β-tubulin either promoting microtubule stabilization or depolymerization. We have discovered a seventh binding site at the tubulin intradimer interface where a novel microtubule-destabilizing cyclodepsipeptide, termed gatorbulin-1 (GB1), binds. GB1 has a unique chemotype produced by a marine cyanobacterium. We have elucidated this dual, chemical and mechanistic, novelty through multidimensional characterization, starting with bioactivity-guided natural product isolation and multinuclei NMR-based structure determination, revealing the modified pentapeptide with a functionally critical hydroxamate group; and validation by total synthesis. We have investigated the pharmacology using isogenic cancer cell screening, cellular profiling, and complementary phenotypic assays, and unveiled the underlying molecular mechanism by in vitro biochemical studies and high-resolution structural determination of the α/β-tubulin–GB1 complex.

Marine cyanobacteria are a rich source of bioactive natural products. Here, we report the isolation and structure elucidation of the previously reported iezoside (1) and its C-31 O-demethyl analogue, iezoside B (2), from a cyanobacterial assemblage collected at Loggerhead Key in the Dry Tortugas, Florida. The two compounds have a unique skeleton comprised of a peptide, a polyketide and a modified sugar unit. The compounds were tested for cytotoxicity and effects on intracellular calcium. Both compounds exhibited cytotoxic activity with an IC50 of 1.5 and 3.0 μΜ, respectively, against A549 lung carcinoma epithelial cells and 1.0 and 2.4 μΜ against HeLa cervical cancer cells, respectively. In the same cell lines, compounds 1 and 2 show an increase in cytosolic calcium with approximate EC50 values of 0.3 and 0.6 μΜ in A549 cells and 0.1 and 0.5 μΜ, respectively, in HeLa cells, near the IC50 for cell viability, suggesting that the increase in cytosolic calcium is functionally related to the cytotoxicity of the compounds and consistent with their activity as SERCA (sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase) inhibitors. The structure–activity relationship provides evidence that structural changes in the sugar unit may be tolerated, and the activity is tunable. This finding has implications for future analogue synthesis and target interaction studies.

NMR and MS/MS-based metabolomics of a cyanobacterial extract from Piti Bomb Holes, Guam, indicated the presence of unique enyne-containing halogenated fatty acid amides. We isolated three new compounds of this class, taveuniamides L-N (1–3), along with the previously reported taveuniamide F (4), which was the most abundant analog. The planar structures of the new compounds were established using 1D and 2D NMR as well as mass spectrometry. We established the configuration of this chemical class to be R at C-8 via Mosher’s analysis of 4 after reduction of the carboxamide group. Our biological investigations with 4 revealed that the compound binds to the cannabinoid receptor CNR1, acting as an antagonist/inverse agonist in the canonical G-protein signaling pathways. In selectivity profiling against 168 GPCR targets using the β-arrestin functional assay, we found that 4 antagonizes GPR119, NPSR1b, CCR9, CHRM4, GPR120, HTR2A, and GPR103, in addition to CNR1. Interestingly, 4 showed a 6.8-fold selectivity for CNR1 over CNR2. The binding mode of 4 to CNR1 was investigated using docking and molecular dynamics simulations with both natural and unnatural stereoisomers, revealing important CNR1 residues for the interaction and also providing a possible reasoning for the observed CNR1/CNR2 selectivity.

Dysidazirine carboxylic acid (1) was isolated from the lipophilic extract of a collection of the benthic marine cyanobacterium Caldora sp. from reefs near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The planar structure of this new compound was determined by spectroscopic methods and comparisons between HRMS and NMR data with its reported methyl ester. The absolute configuration of the single chiral center was determined by the conversion of 1 to the methyl ester and the comparison of its specific rotation data with the two known methyl ester isomers, 2 and 3. Molecular sequencing with 16S rDNA indicated that this cyanobacterium differs from Caldora penicillata (Oscillatoriales) and represents a previously undocumented and novel Caldora species. Dysidazirine (2) showed weak cytotoxicity against HCT116 colorectal cancer cells (IC50 9.1 µM), while dysidazirine carboxylic acid (1) was non-cytotoxic. Similar cell viability patterns were observed in RAW264.7 cells with dysidazirine only (2), displaying cytotoxicity at the highest concentration tested (50 µM). The non-cytotoxic dysidazirine carboxylic acid (1) demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity in RAW264.7 cells stimulated with LPS. After 24 h, 1 inhibited the production of NO by almost 50% at 50 µM, without inducing cytotoxicity. Compound 1 rapidly decreased gene expression of the pro-inflammatory gene iNOS after 3 h post-LPS treatment and in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 ~1 µM); the downregulation of iNOS persisted at least until 12 h.

Lagunamide D, a new cytotoxic macrocyclic depsipeptide, was discovered from a collection of marine cyanobacteria from Loggerhead Key in the Dry Tortugas, Florida. An intramolecular ester exchange was observed, where the 26-membered macrocycle could contract to a 24-membered compound via acyl migration at the 1,3-diol unit, and the transformation product was named lagunamide D’. The planar structures of both compounds were elucidated using a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectroscopy (HRMS). The absolute configurations were determined on the basis of enantioselective analysis, modified Mosher’s analysis, Kishi NMR database, and direct comparison with lagunamide A, a structure closely resembling lagunamide D. Lagunamides A and D displayed low-nanomolar antiproliferative activity against A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells, while the structural transformation from the 26-membered lagunamide D macrocycle to the 24-membered ring structure for lagunamide D’ led to a 9.6-fold decrease in activity. Lagunamide D also displayed potent activity in triggering apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Further investigation on the mechanism of action of the lagunamide scaffold is needed to fully explore its therapeutic potential as an anticancer agent.

The monounsaturated fatty acid 7(E)-9-keto-hexadec-7-enoic acid (1) and three structurally related analogues with different oxidation states and degrees of unsaturation (2–4) were discovered from a marine benthic cyanobacterial mat collected from Delta Shoal, Florida Keys. Their structures were elucidated using NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The structure of 1 contained an α,β-unsaturated carbonyl system, a key motif required for the activation of the Keap1/Nrf2−ARE pathway that is involved in the activation of antioxidant and phase II detoxification enzymes. Compounds 1–4 were screened in ARE-luciferase reporter gene assay using stably transfected HEK293 cells, and only 1 significantly induced Nrf2 activity at 32 and 10 µM, whereas 2–4 were inactive. As there is crosstalk between inflammation and oxidative stress, subsequent biological studies were focused on 1 to investigate its anti-inflammatory potential. Compound 1 induced Nqo1, a well-known target gene of Nrf2, and suppressed iNos transcript levels, which translated into reduced levels of nitric oxide in LPS-activated mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells, a more relevant model for inflammation. RNA sequencing was performed to capture the effects of 1 on a global level and identified additional canonical pathways and upstream regulators involved in inflammation and immune response, particularly those related to multiple sclerosis. A targeted survey of marine cyanobacterial samples from other geographic locations, including Guam, suggested the widespread occurrence of 1. Furthermore, the previous isolation of 1 from marine diatoms and green algae implied a potentially important ecological role across marine algal eukaryotes and prokaryotes. The previous isolation from sea lettuce raises the possibility of dietary intervention to attenuate inflammation and related disease progression.

Unlike individual, free-floating planktonic bacteria, biofilms are surface-attached communities of slow- or non-replicating bacteria encased within a protective extracellular polymeric matrix enabling persistent bacterial populations to tolerate high concentrations of antimicrobials. Our current antibacterial arsenal is composed of growth-inhibiting agents that target rapidly-dividing planktonic bacteria but not metabolically dormant biofilm cells. We report the first modular synthesis of a library of 20 halogenated phenazines (HP), utilizing the Wohl-Aue reaction, that targets both planktonic and biofilm cells. New HPs, including 6-substituted analogues, demonstrate potent antibacterial activities against MRSA, MRSE and VRE (MIC = 0.003–0.78 µM). HPs bind metal(II) cations and demonstrate interesting activity profiles when co-treated in a panel of metal(II) cations in MIC assays. HP 1 inhibited RNA and protein biosynthesis while not inhibiting DNA biosynthesis using 3 H-radiolabeled precursors in macromolecular synthesis inhibition assays against MRSA. New HPs reported here demonstrate potent eradication activities (MBEC = 0.59–9.38 µM) against MRSA, MRSE and VRE biofilms while showing minimal red blood cell lysis or cytotoxicity against HeLa cells. PEG-carbonate HPs 24 and 25 were found to have potent antibacterial activities with significantly improved water solubility. HP small molecules could have a dramatic impact on persistent, biofilm-associated bacterial infection treatments.

Ocular angiogenic diseases, characterized by abnormal blood vessel formation in the eye, are the leading cause of blindness. Although Anti-VEGF therapy is the first-line treatment in the market, a substantial number of patients are refractory to it or may develop resistance over time. As uncontrolled proliferation of vascular endothelial cells is one of the characteristic features of pathological neovascularization, we aimed to investigate the role of the class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor Largazole, a cyclodepsipeptide from a marine cyanobacterium, in ocular angiogenesis. Our study showed that Largazole strongly inhibits retinal vascular endothelial cell viability, proliferation, and the ability to form tube-like structures. Largazole strongly inhibits the vessel outgrowth from choroidal explants in choroid sprouting assay while it does not affect the quiescent choroidal vasculature. Largazole also inhibits vessel outgrowth from metatarsal bones in metatarsal sprouting assay without affecting pericytes coverage. We further demonstrated a cooperative effect between Largazole and an approved anti-VEGF drug, Alflibercept. Mechanistically, Largazole strongly inhibits the expression of VEGFR2 and leads to an increased expression of cell cycle inhibitor, p21. Taken together, our study provides compelling evidence on the anti-angiogenic role of Largazole that exerts its function through mediating different signaling pathways.