Unexpected Metabolic Versatility in a Combined Fungal Fomannoxin/Vibralactone Biosynthesis

J Nat Prod. 2016 May 27;79(5):1407-14. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00147. Epub 2016 Apr 22.

Abstract

The secondary metabolome of an undescribed stereaceous basidiomycete (BY1) was investigated for bioactive compounds. Along with a known fomannoxin derivative and two known vibralactones, we here describe three new compounds of these natural product families, whose structures were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. The new compound vibralactone S (4) shows a 3,6-substituted oxepin-2(7H)-one ring system, which is unprecedented for the vibralactone/fomannoxin class of compounds. Stable isotope labeling established a biosynthetic route that is dissimilar to the two published cascades of oxepinone formation. Another new compound, the antifungal methyl seco-fomannoxinate (6), features a 2-methylprop-1-enyl ether moiety, which is only rarely observed with natural products. The structure of 6 was confirmed by total synthesis. (13)C-labeling experiments revealed that the unusual 2-methylprop-1-enyl ether residue derives from an isoprene unit. The diversity of BY1's combined fomannoxin/vibralactone metabolism is remarkable in that these compound families, although biosynthetically related, usually occur in different organisms.

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
  • Arthrodermataceae / drug effects
  • Aspergillus fumigatus / drug effects
  • Basidiomycota / chemistry*
  • Benzofurans / chemical synthesis
  • Benzofurans / chemistry
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Lactones / chemical synthesis
  • Lactones / chemistry
  • Lactones / pharmacology*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Penicillium chrysogenum / drug effects

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Benzofurans
  • Lactones
  • vibralactone
  • fomannoxin