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Three marine alkaloids, purified from Clavelina moluccensis, were structurally identified as lepadiformines A, B, and C and studied on frog atrial myocytes I(K1), using the patch-clamp technique. Lepadiformine A (0.4 to 3.3 microM) blocked I(K1) dose-dependently with an apparent dissociation constant (K(D)) equal to 1.42 microM and a stoichiometry of 0.77. The block is voltage-dependent, suggesting that lepadiformine A occupies a receptor site located at about two-thirds of the membrane depth. The shortening of the aliphatic chain at position C13 of lepadiformine B decreased the potency of the molecule to block I(K1) but not the affinity (K(D) = 1.56 microM) and stoichiometry (0.72). Additional deletion of the oxygenated side chain at C2 in lepadiformine C markedly decreased the inhibitory effect of the molecule. In conclusion, lepadiformine modulates I(K1) response in cardiac muscle. The oxygenated side chain in C2 is implicated in the affinity of lepadiformine, which behaved as an amine, for a receptor located near or inside the I(K1) pore, and the aliphatic chain length at position C13 is involved in the degree of I(K1) blockage.

The isolation and characterization is described of four novel cyclic polyethers, bistramides B [2], C [3], D [4], and K [5], which are closely related to the previously reported bistramide A [1] from the New Caledonian urochordata Lissoclinum bistratum. The structures of these metabolites were defined by spectroscopic methods. The four compounds exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity toward six tumor cell lines, including the human non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC-N6) line. Cytofluorimetric analysis with bistramide K showed a complete block of NSCLC-N6 cells in the G1 phase. Bistramide D and particularly bistramide K are less toxic than bistramides A, B, and C and are thereby effective in vivo against NSCLC-N6.

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The production of peptaibols by a marine-related Trichoderma longibrachiatum strain was studied using electrospray ionisation multiple-stage ion trap mass spectrometry (ESI-MSn-IT) and gas chromatography/electron impact mass spectrometry (GC/EI-MS). Two major groups of peptaibols were identified, those with long sequences (20 amino acids) and others with short sequences (11 amino acids). This paper describes the methodology used to establish the sequences of short peptaibols in a mixture without previous individual separation. Nine peptaibols were identified. Among them, eight are new, namely as trichobrachin A I-IV (Aib9-Pro10 sequence) and as trichobrachin B I-IV (Val9-Pro10 sequence). Original Pro6-Val7 and Val9-Pro10 sequences have to be noted.

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