Five new C-glycoside angucyclines, named grincamycins B−F (1−5), and a known angucycline antibiotic, grincamycin (6), were isolated from Streptomyces lusitanus SCSIO LR32, an actinomycete of deep sea origin. The structures of these compounds were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses, including MS and 1D and 2D NMR experiments. All compounds except grincamycin F (5) exhibited in vitro cytotoxicities against the human cancer cell lines HepG2, SW-1990, HeLa, NCI-H460, and MCF-7 and the mouse melanoma cell line B16, with IC 50 values ranging from 1.1 to 31 μM.

The gene cluster responsible for grincamycin (GCN, 1) biosynthesis in Streptomyces lusitanus SCSIO LR32 was identified; heterologous expression of the GCN cluster in S. coelicolor M512 yielded P-1894B (1b) as a predominant product. The ΔgcnQ mutant accumulates intermediate 1a and two shunt products 2a and 3a bearing L-rhodinose for L-cinerulose A substitutions. In vitro data demonstrated that GcnQ is capable of iteratively tailoring the two L-rhodinose moieties into L-aculose moieties, supporting divergent roles of GcnQ in different hosts.

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Three new cyclohexapeptides, desotamides B-D (2-4), and the known desotamide (1) were isolated from marine microbe Streptomyces scopuliridis SCSIO ZJ46. The sequences and absolute configurations of 2-4 were elucidated on the basis of high-resolution spectroscopic data, Marfey's method, and chiral-phase HPLC data. Desotamide C (3) contains a unique N-formyl-kynurenine residue, whereas 4 lacks formylation at the same site. Compounds 1 and 2 displayed notable antibacterial activities against strains of Streptococcus pnuemoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis (MRSE), and structure activity relationship studies revealed the indispensability of the Trp component for antibacterial activity within this new scaffold.

Six new terpenes, including one harziane diterpene, 3R-hydroxy-9R,10Rdihydroharzianone (1), one proharziane diterpene, 11R-methoxy-5,9,13-proharzitrien-3-ol (2), three cyclonerane sesquiterpenes, 11-methoxy-9-cycloneren-3,7-diol (3), 10cycloneren-3,5,7-triol (4), and methyl 3,7-dihydroxy-15-cycloneranate (5), and one acorane sesquiterpene, 8-acoren-3,11-diol (6), were isolated from the culture of Trichoderma harzianum X-5, an endophytic fungus obtained from the marine brown alga Laminaria japonica. Their structures and relative configurations were established by analysis of 1D/2D NMR, HREIMS, and IR data, and the absolute configurations were assigned on the basis of ECD curves or biogenetic considerations. These terpenes possess four different carbon skeletons, and compound 2, with a rarely occurring bicyclic framework, represents a possible precursor of tetracyclic harzianes. Compounds 1−6 exhibited growth inhibition of some marine phytoplankton species.

A new sequential tristhiazole-thiazoline-containing cyclic peptide, marthiapeptide A (1), was isolated from a 60 L scale culture of the deep South China Sea-derived strain Marinactinospora thermotolerans SCSIO 00652. The planar structure and absolute configuration of 1 were elucidated by application of spectroscopic techniques, as well as by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and chiral-phase HPLC analysis of the acid hydrolysates. Marthiapeptide A (1) exhibited antibacterial activity against a panel of Gram-positive bacteria, with MIC values ranging from 2.0 to 8.0 μg/mL, and displayed strong cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines with IC(50) values ranging from 0.38 to 0.52 μM.

The desotamides (DSAs) are potent antibacterial cyclohexapeptides produced by Streptomyces scopuliridis SCSIO ZJ46. We have identified the 39-kb dsa biosynthetic gene cluster by whole-genome scanning. Composed of 17 open reading frames, the cluster codes for four nonribosomal peptide synthetases and associated resistance, transport, regulatory, and precursor biosynthesis proteins. Heterologous expression of the dsa gene cluster in S. coelicolor M1152 afforded desotamides A and B and the new desotamide G. Cluster identification and its demonstrated amenability to heterologous expression provide the foundation for future mechanistic studies as well as the generation of new and potentially clinically significant DSA analogues.

Three genes, mcbABC, that drive the biosynthesis of marinacarbolines, have been elucidated through genome mining, gene inactivation, heterologous expression, feeding, and site-directed mutagenesis experiments. McbB is highlighted as a novel enzyme for the β-carboline core construction, which involves a Pictet-Spengler cyclization process and requiring E97 for biochemical activity.