Polyketides are among the major classes of bioactive natural products used to treat microbial infections, cancer, and other diseases. Here we describe a pathway to chloroethylmalonyl-CoA as a polyketide synthase building block in the biosynthesis of salinosporamide A, a marine microbial metabolite whose chlorine atom is crucial for potent proteasome inhibition and anticancer activity. S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) is converted to 5-chloro-5-deoxyadenosine (5-ClDA) in a reaction catalyzed by a SAMdependent chlorinase as previously reported. By using a combination of gene deletions, biochemical analyses, and chemical complementation experiments with putative intermediates, we now provide evidence that 5-ClDA is converted to chloroethylmalonyl-CoA in a 7-step route via the penultimate intermediate 4-chlorocrotonyl-CoA. Because halogenation often increases the bioactivity of drugs, the availability of a halogenated polyketide building block may be useful in molecular engineering approaches toward polyketide scaffolds.actinomycete ͉ biological halogenation ͉ marine natural product ͉ proteasome inhibitor ͉ Salinispora tropica

Two new peptidic proteasome inhibitors were isolated as trace components from a Curaçao collection of Symploca sp. marine cyanobacteria. Carmaphycin A (1) and carmaphycin B (2) feature a leucine-derived α, β -epoxyketone warhead directly connected to either methionine sulfoxide or methionine sulfone. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive NMR/MS analyses and confirmed by total synthesis, which in turn provided more material for further biological evaluations. Pure carmaphycins A and B were found to inhibit the β5 subunit (chymotrypsin-like activity) of the S. cerevisiae 20S proteasome in the low nanomolar range. Additionally, they exhibited strong cytotoxicity to lung and colon cancer cell lines, as well as exquisite antiproliferative effects in the NCI60 cell line panel. These assay results as well as initial structural biology studies suggest a distinctive binding mode for these new inhibitors.

The development of proteasome inhibitors (PIs) has transformed the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. To date, two PIs have been FDA approved, the boronate peptide bortezomib and, most recently, the epoxyketone peptide carfilzomib. However, intrinsic and acquired resistance to PIs, for which the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood, may limit their efficacy. In this perspective, we discuss recent advances in the molecular understanding of PI resistance through acquired bortezomib resistance in human cell lines to evolved saliniosporamide A (marizomib) resistance in nature. Resistance mechanisms discussed include the upregulation of proteasome subunits and mutations of the catalytic β-subunits. Additionally, we explore potential strategies to overcome PI resistance.

The natural proteasome inhibitor salinosporamide A from the marine bacterium Salinispora tropica is a promising drug candidate for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. Using a comprehensive approach that combined chemical synthesis with metabolic engineering, we generated a series of salinosporamide analogues with altered proteasome binding affinity. One of the engineered compounds is equipotent to salinosporamide A in inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like activity of the proteasome, yet, exhibits superior activity in the cell-based HCT-116 assay.