Aeruginosins represent a group of peptide metabolites isolated from various cyanobacterial genera and from marine sponges that potently inhibit different types of serine proteases. Members of this family are characterized by the presence of a 2-carboxy-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole (Choi) moiety. We have identified and fully sequenced a NRPS gene cluster in the genome of the cyanobacterium Planktothrix agardhii CYA126/8. Insertional mutagenesis of a NRPS component led to the discovery and structural elucidation of two glycopeptides that were designated aeruginoside 126A and aeruginoside 126B. One variant of the aglycone contains a 1-amino-2-(N-amidino-Delta(3)-pyrrolinyl)ethyl moiety at the C terminus, the other bears an agmatine residue. In silico analyses of the aeruginoside biosynthetic genes aerA-aerI as well as additional mutagenesis and feeding studies allowed the prediction of enzymatic steps leading to the formation of aeruginosides and the unusual Choi moiety.

The first total syntheses of aeruginosin 298-A (1) and aeruginosin 298-B (3) are described. The syntheses of the alternative putative structures 2 and 4 were also accomplished. The key common strategic element is the stereo-controlled synthesis of (2S,3aS,6R,7aS)-6-hydroxyoctahydroindole-2-carboxylic acid (L-Choi, 5) from L-tyrosine. The synthesis of this new bicyclic alpha-amino acid, which is the core of aeruginosins, involves Birch reduction of O-methyl-L-tyrosine (6) and aminocyclization of the resulting dihydroanisole 7 in acid medium, followed by N-benzylation to give the diastereoisomers 12 and 13. Upon acid treatment with HCl-MeOH, the last two produce an equilibrium mixture in which the endo isomer 13 significantly predominates. Hydrogenation of 13 in the presence of (Boc)2O gives 16, which on reduction with LS-Selectride furnishes the alcohol 22, a protected L-Choi. Successive couplings of 22 with D-leucine, protected (R)-(4-hydroxyphenyl)lactic acid, and L-arginine fragments, followed by reduction to the argininol level and a deprotection end step complete the synthetic sequence to produce aeruginosin 298-A (1). Spectral comparison showed that peptide 2, with the structure previously proposed for aeruginosin 298-A, was different from the natural product. However, synthetic 1 was found to be identical to the isolated natural sample of aeruginosin 298-A. These results unequivocally establish that the absolute stereochemistry of aeruginosin 298-A, formerly assigned incorrectly, is D-Hpla-D-Leu-L-Choi-L-Argol, as shown by structure 1. Aeruginosin 298-B was also synthesized and shown to be a mixture of rotamers of D-Hpla-D-Leu-L-ChoiNH2 (3), rather than an epimeric mixture of 3 and the L-Leu-incorporating 4.

The first total synthesis of aquatic peptide microcin SF608 is described. Coupling of L-Hpla with the dipeptide L-Phe-L-Choi followed by coupling with agmatine and a deprotection step gave microcin SF608. In addition, the levorotatory character of L-Hpla (5) was thoroughly established, and the conformational analysis of L-Choi containing peptides 1 and 8-10 was performed using NMR spectroscopy to examine the cis-trans isomer equilibrium of the L-Phe-L-Choi amide bond.

[structure: see text] The putative structure of the naturally occurring aquatic peptide aeruginosin EI461 has been prepared from d-tyrosine. A corrected structure for aeruginosin EI461 is proposed, and the structure is proven by synthesis, which was accomplished using the new alpha-amino acid (2S,3aR,6R,7aR)-6-hydroxy-2-carboxyoctahydroindole, prepared from l-tyrosine. Succesive couplings of the dipeptide d-Leu-3a,7a-diepi-l-Choi with l-Hpla and NH(4)OH and a deprotection step gave aeruginosin EI461.