An actinomycete strain (H12-15) isolated from a sea sediment in a mangrove district was identified as Streptomycesantibioticus on the basis of 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis as well as the investigation of its morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics. Two novel benzamido nonacyclic dilactones, namely neoantimycins A (1) and B (2), together with the known antimycins A1ab (3a,b), A2a (4), and A₉ (5), were isolated from the culture broth of this strain. Compounds 1 and 2 are the first natural modified ATNs with an unusual benzamide unit. The structures of these new compounds, including their absolute configuration, were established on the basis of HRMS, NMR spectroscopic data, and quantum chemical ECD calculations. Their cytotoxicities against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, the human glioblastoma cell line SF-268, and the human lung cancer cell line NCI-H460 were also tested. All compounds exhibited mild cytotoxic activity. However, Compounds 1 and 2 showed no activity against C. albicans at the test concentration of 1 mg/mL via paper disc diffusion, while the known antimycins showed obvious antifungal activity.
Keywords: ECD calculations; Streptomyces antibioticus; antifungal activity; cytotoxicity; neoantimycins A and B; secondary metabolite; strain identification.