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The revised structure, 2 , assigned to the title natural product has been prepared by chemical synthesis using a reaction sequence involving six simple steps starting from 2,3-dimethoxybenzaldehyde and proceeding via intermediates 8 , 12 , and 14 . A comparison of the NMR data acquired on synthetically derived compound 2 with those reported for the natural product reveals an excellent match. Preliminary biological screening of compound 2 along with analogues/precursors 7 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 13 , 14 , and 15 revealed that none exhibited antibacterial, antifungal or cytotoxic effects.

Chemical investigation on a Streptomyces sp. strain MS180069 isolated from a sediment sample collected from the South China Sea, yielded the new benzo[f]isoindole-dione alkaloid, bhimamycin J (1). The structure was determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis, including HRMS, 1D, 2D NMR, and X-ray diffraction techniques. A molecular docking study revealed 1 as a new molecular motif that binds with human angiotensin converting enzyme2 (ACE2), recently described as the cell surface receptor responsible for uptake of 2019-CoV-2. Using enzyme assays we confirm that 1 inhibits human ACE2 79.7 % at 25 μg/mL., (© 2021 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Thorectandra choanoides (CMB-01889) was prioritized as a source of promising new chemistry from a library of 960 southern Australian marine sponge extracts, using a global natural products social (GNPS) molecular networking approach. The sponge was collected at a depth of 45 m. Chemical fractionation followed by detailed spectroscopic analysis led to the discovery of a new tryptophan-derived alkaloid, thorectandrin A ( 1 ), with the GNPS cluster revealing a halo of related alkaloids 1a - 1n . In considering biosynthetic origins, we propose that Thorectandra (CMB-01889) produces four well-known alkaloids, 6-bromo-1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin ( choanoides (CMB-01889) produces four well-known alkaloids, 6-bromo-1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin ( 2 ), 6-bromoaplysinopsin ( 3 ), aplysinopsin ( 4 ), and 1',8-dihydroaplysinopsin ( 10 ), all of which are susceptible to processing by a putative indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase- like (IDO) enzyme to 1a - 1n . Where the 1',8-dihydroalkaloids 2 and 10 are fully transformed to stable ring-opened thorectandrins 1 and 1a - 1b , and 1h - 1j , respectively, the conjugated precursors 3 and 4 are transformed to highly reactive Michael acceptors that during extraction and handling undergo complete transformation to artifacts 1c - 1g , and 1k - 1n , respectively. Knowledge of the susceptibility of aplysinopsins as substrates for IDOs, and the relative reactivity of Michael acceptor transformation products, informs our understanding of the pharmaceutical potential of this vintage marine pharmacophore. For example, the cancer tissue specificity of IDOs could be exploited for an immunotherapeutic response, with aplysinopsins transforming in situ to Michael acceptor thorectandrins, which covalently bind and inhibit the enzyme.

Chemical analysis of the fungus Chrysosporium sp. CMB-F294 isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of a market-purchased specimen of Mugil mullet yielded eight new alkaloids, belonging to a rare class of phenylpropanoid piperazines. Chrysosporazines F-M ( 1 - 8 ) occur as an equilibrium mixture of acetamide rotamers and feature unprecedented carbocyclic and heterocyclic scaffolds. Structures inclusive of absolute configuration were assigned by detailed spectroscopic analysis, supported by biosynthetic considerations. Structure-activity relationship studies determined that selected chrysosporazines were promising noncytotoxic inhibitors of the multidrug resistance efflux pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp), capable of reversing doxorubicin resistance in P-gp-overexpressing human colon carcinoma cells (SW620 Ad300). Chrysosporazine F ( 1 ) was particularly noteworthy, with a 2.5 μM cotreatment inducing a doxorubicin gain in sensitivity (GS 14) > 2-fold that of the positive control verapamil (GS 6.1).

Keywords: ethanolysis; solvolysis; artifact; leucettazoles; leucettazines; macrocyclic alkaloids; Leucetta ; Australian sponge; GNPS., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest

Chemical analysis of a specimen of the sponge Ianthella cf. flabelliformis returned two new sesquiterpene glycinyl lactams, ianthellalactams A (1) and B (2), the known sponge sesquiterpene dictyodendrillin (3) and its ethanolysis artifact ethyl dictyodendrillin (4), and five known sponge indole alkaloids, aplysinopsin (5), 8E-3'-deimino-3'-oxoaplysinopsin (6), 8Z-3'-deimino-3'-oxoaplysinopsin (7), dihydroaplysinopsin (8) and tubastrindole B (9). The equilibrated mixture 6/7 exhibited glycine-gated chloride channel receptor (GlyR) antagonist activity with a bias towards α3 over α1 GlyR, while tubastrindole B (9) exhibited a bias towards α1 over α3 GlyR. At low- to sub-micromolar concentrations, 9 was also a selective potentiator of α1 GlyR, with no effect on α3 GlyR-a pharmacology that could prove useful in the treatment of movement disorders such as spasticity and hyperekplexia. Our investigations into the GlyR modulatory properties of 1-9 were further supported by the synthesis of a number of structurally related indole alkaloids., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Chemical analysis of a Didemnum sp. (CMB-01656) collected during scientific Scuba operations off Wasp Island, New South Wales, yielded five new lamellarins A1 (1), A2 (2), A3 (3), A4 (4) and A5 (5) and eight known lamellarins C (6), E (7), K (8), M (9), S (10), T (11), X (12) and χ (13). Analysis of a second Didemnum sp. (CMB-02127) collected during scientific trawling operations along the Northern Rottnest Shelf, Western Australia, yielded the new lamellarin A6 (14) and two known lamellarins G (15) and Z (16). Structures were assigned to 1-16 on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis with comparison to literature data and authentic samples. Access to this unique library of natural lamellarins (1-16) provided a rare opportunity for structure-activity relationship (SAR) investigations, probing interactions between lamellarins and the ABC transporter efflux pump P-glycoprotein (P-gp) with a view to reversing multidrug resistance in a human colon cancer cell line (SW620 Ad300). These SAR studies, which were expanded to include the permethylated lamellarin derivative (17) and a series of lamellarin-inspired synthetic coumarins (19-24) and isoquinolines (25-26), successfully revealed 17 as a promising new non-cytotoxic P-gp inhibitor pharmacophore., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Chemical investigation of a southern Australian marine sponge, Clathria sp., yielded the known mirabilins C, F and G, together with three new analogues, mirabilins H-J. For the first time mirabilins C and F are documented as the underivatized natural products, and a complete absolute stereochemistry is assigned to mirabilin F. Mirabilin I represents the first member of this structure class to incorporate a trans-fused ring junction. Structures for all mirabilins are assigned on the basis of detailed spectroscopic analysis. A plausible polyketide origin is proposed, linking all mirabilins and related sponge alkaloids. Mirabilin cytotoxicity against several human cancer cell lines is discussed.

Chemical analysis of southern Australian marine sponges of the genera Higginsia and Spongosorites has yielded examples of the discorhabdin class of alkaloids. These include the known metabolites (+)-discorhabdin A (1), (+)-discorhabdin D (2), makaluvamine J (6), and damirone A (7), together with four new analogues, (+)-dihydrodiscorhabdin A (3), (+)-debromodiscorhabdin A (4), (+)-dihydrodiscorhabdin L (8), and (+)-discorhabdin X (5), with the latter compound being the first reported example of a thio heterocycle flanked by oxo-thio-acetal and azo-thio-acetal functionalities. Structures for the new compounds were assigned on the basis of detailed spectroscopic interpretation.

A Clathria sp. collected during scientific trawling operations in the Great Australian Bight, Australia, has yielded the new alkaloid mirabilin G (1). A structure was secured for 1 by detailed spectroscopic analysis and comparison to known marine alkaloids.