(Bio)isosteres of ortho- and meta-substituted benzenes

• H. Erik Diepers and
• Johannes C. L. Walker

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 859–890, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.78

Discovery and biosynthesis of bacterial drimane-type sesquiterpenoids from Streptomyces clavuligerus

• Dongxu Zhang,
• Wenyu Du,
• Xingming Pan,
• Xiaoxu Lin,
• Fang-Ru Li,
• Qingling Wang,
• Qian Yang,
• Hui-Min Xu and
• Liao-Bin Dong

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 815–822, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.73

• calidoustene C, DrtB from Aspergillus calidoustus functions as a dual-functional enzyme, comprising two domains: a HAD-like hydrolase domain fused with a terpene cyclase domain. Initially, FPP is cyclized into the drimenyl diphosphate in a class II terpene cyclase manner, which is then processed by the

Methodology for awakening the potential secondary metabolic capacity in actinomycetes

• Shun Saito and
• Midori A. Arai

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 753–766, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.69

• been used in many studies examining silent gene activation (Figure 5a). For example, Krespach et al. reported that Streptomyces iranensis secretes azalomycin F3a (44) in the presence of Aspergillus nidulans [109]. Interestingly, A. nidulans also reacted to the presence of azalomycin F3a by producing

Genome mining of labdane-related diterpenoids: Discovery of the two-enzyme pathway leading to (−)-sandaracopimaradiene in the fungus Arthrinium sacchari

• Fumito Sato,
• Terutaka Sonohara,
• Shunta Fujiki,
• Akihiro Sugawara,
• Yohei Morishita,
• Taro Ozaki and
• Teigo Asai

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 714–720, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.65

• TCs, AsPS and AsCPS, in the fungus Arthrinium sacchari. AsPS consists of catalytically active α and inactive β domains, whereas AsCPS contains βγ domains and a truncated α domain. Heterologous expression in Aspergillus oryzae and biochemical characterization of recombinant proteins demonstrated that

• Aspergillus oryzae and biochemical characterization of recombinant enzymes unveiled a fungal two-enzyme pathway to isopimaradiene, which is unprecedented for fungal LRDs. Results and Discussion To explore the fungal LRDs, we searched our in-house database by BLAST using known fungal bifunctional TCs such as

• and AsCPS as described below. First, we examined the heterologous expression of AsPS and AsCPS in the heterologous host Aspergillus oryzae NSAR1. These two genes along with AsGGS were amplified and integrated into the pUARA2 vector, yielding the plasmid pUARA2-AsGGS/AsCPS/AsPS (Table S1 in Supporting

Production of non-natural 5-methylorsellinate-derived meroterpenoids in Aspergillus oryzae

• Jia Tang,
• Yixiang Zhang and
• Yudai Matsuda

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 638–644, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.56

• this compound class is derived from the aromatic precursor 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid (DMOA). In this study, we constructed engineered metabolic pathways in the fungus Aspergillus oryzae to expand the molecular diversity of meroterpenoids. We employed the 5-methylorsellinic acid (5-MOA) synthase FncE

• four enzymes in the Aspergillus oryzae NSARU1 strain [19]. Consequently, the A. oryzae transformant yielded two metabolites 1 and 2, which were absent in the host strain (Figure 2B, traces i and ii). Although we were unable to isolate compounds 1 and 2 because of their instability, high-resolution mass

• : farnesyl pyrophosphate; FAD: flavin adenine dinucleotide; NADPH: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. (B) HPLC profiles of the metabolites from Aspergillus oryzae transformants. The chromatograms were extracted at 254 nm. (C) Structures of metabolites detected or isolated in this study. Note that

Recent developments in the engineered biosynthesis of fungal meroterpenoids

• Zhiyang Quan and
• Takayoshi Awakawa

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 578–588, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.50

• Aspergillus oryzae, will be also introduced. Review Standard reactions of fungal meroterpenoid biosynthesis The skeletal diversity within this group of compounds arises from polyketide synthesis, prenyl transfer, terpenoid cyclizations, and post-cyclization modifications [5]. In these reactions, terpenoid

•  2). In 2012, the biosynthesis of terretonin, a meroterpenoid derived from compound 5 and produced by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus terreus, was investigated [8][9] using the heterologous expression host Aspergillus oryzae strain NSAR1, a filamentous fungus developed by multiple mutations of

• Aspergillus nidulans, within the same phylogenetic clade. Expression of this enzyme in place of Trt1 resulted in the formation of the 6-6-6-6-membered ring protoaustinoid A (8) (Figure 2) [9]. In addition, the expression of the cyclase AdrI (38% identity with Trt1) from Penicillium chrysogenum produced the 6

Entry to new spiroheterocycles via tandem Rh(II)-catalyzed O–H insertion/base-promoted cyclization involving diazoarylidene succinimides

• Alexander Yanovich,
• Anastasia Vepreva,
• Ksenia Malkova,
• Grigory Kantin and
• Dmitry Dar’in

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 561–569, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.48

• antagonist 7 [33], and aldosterone synthase inhibitor 8 [34]) as well as natural products (e.g., new alkaloids deoxytryptoquivaline and deoxynortryptoquivaline from fungus Aspergillus clavatonanicus identified as natural cardiomyocyte-protective agents against cold ischemic injury [35] and possible natural

• multitarget drugs against COVID-19 [36], and amiaspochalasin C isolated from the solid culture of Aspergillus micronesiensis [37] and 1,9-epoxy-9a-hydroxystenine from the roots of Stemona tuberosa [38]) (Figure 1). Hence, the development of novel synthetic methods to construct spiro O-heterocycles constitutes

A new analog of dihydroxybenzoic acid from Saccharopolyspora sp. KR21-0001

• Rattiya Janthanom,
• Yuta Kikuchi,
• Hiroki Kanto,
• Tomoyasu Hirose,
• Arisu Tahara,
• Takahiro Ishii,
• Arinthip Thamchaipenet and
• Yuki Inahashi

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 497–503, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.44

• ), fungi (e.g., Aspergillus sojae and Penicillium roquefortii), and bacteria (e.g., Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Brucella abortus, and Bacillus sp.) [15]. It is also known to be a component of some natural products, such as enterobactin, showing strong radical scavenging activity or antioxidant activity

Discovery of unguisin J, a new cyclic peptide from Aspergillus heteromorphus CBS 117.55, and phylogeny-based bioinformatic analysis of UngA NRPS domains

• Sharmila Neupane,
• Marcelo Rodrigues de Amorim and
• Elizabeth Skellam

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 321–330, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.32

• de São Paulo, CP 780, CEP 13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil 10.3762/bjoc.20.32 Abstract Several under-explored Aspergillus sp. produce intriguing heptapeptides containing a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) residue with as yet unknown biological functions. In this study, a new GABA-containing heptapeptide

• – unguisin J (1) – along with known unguisin B (2) were isolated from a solid culture of Aspergillus heteromorphus CBS 117.55. The structure of compound 1 was elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis including HSQC, HMBC, COSY, and 2D NOESY as well as HRESIMS. The stereochemistry of 1 and

• 2 was determined by Marfey’s method. A biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) encoding unguisins B and J was compared to characterized BGCs in other Aspergillus sp. Since the unguisin family of heptapetides incorporate different amino acid residues at different positions of the peptide, the A and C domains

Functional characterisation of twelve terpene synthases from actinobacteria

• Anuj K. Chhalodia,
• Houchao Xu,
• Georges B. Tabekoueng,
• Binbin Gu,
• Kizerbo A. Taizoumbe,
• Lukas Lauterbach and
• Jeroen S. Dickschat

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1386–1398, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.100

• ), hundreds of plant terpene synthases have been identified [3][4], including terpene synthases of microbial type [5]. Also many fungal terpene synthases are known that can either be monofunctional as in case of the aristolochene (3) synthases from Aspergillus terreus [6] and Penicillium roqueforti [7], or

Aromatic C–H bond functionalization through organocatalyzed asymmetric intermolecular aza-Friedel–Crafts reaction: a recent update

• Anup Biswas

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 956–981, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.72

• ) [65]. In 2019, Piersanti and co-workers reported an organocatalyzed enantioselective aza-Friedel–Crafts/lactonization domino reaction sequence as the key step in the course of synthesizing (+)- and (−)-fumimycin. (−)-Fumimycin was first isolated from Aspergillus fumisynnematus and exhibits

Combretastatins D series and analogues: from isolation, synthetic challenges and biological activities

• Jorge de Lima Neto and
• Paulo Henrique Menezes

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 399–427, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.31

• ) against the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the fungi Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, and Aspergillus flavus. Unfortunately, all compounds were found to be inactive [14]. The use of compounds capable to delay

Strategies to access the [5-8] bicyclic core encountered in the sesquiterpene, diterpene and sesterterpene series

• Cécile Alleman,
• Charlène Gadais,
• Laurent Legentil and
• François-Hugues Porée

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 245–281, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.23

• the D-ring. It was isolated in 1958 from the fungus Ophiobolus miyabeanus, and displayed a remarkable cytotoxicity against several cancer cell lines [50]. Meanwhile, variecolin (3) was isolated from the fermentation broth of the fungus Aspergillus variecolor in 1991, and it appears to be a potent

Navigating and expanding the roadmap of natural product genome mining tools

• Friederike Biermann,
• Sebastian L. Wenski and
• Eric J. N. Helfrich

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1656–1671, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.178

• (Figure 7) [82]. These insertions are detectable by comparing multiple closely related strains utilizing whole genome alignments, a technique adopted from the field of comparative genomics [83]. In a recent study, 10 Aspergillus genomes were compared to identify BGCs in non-syntenic blocks, leading to the

Characterization of a new fusicoccane-type diterpene synthase and an associated P450 enzyme

• Jia-Hua Huang,
• Jian-Ming Lv,
• Liang-Yan Xiao,
• Qian Xu,
• Fu-Long Lin,
• Gao-Qian Wang,
• Guo-Dong Chen,
• Sheng-Ying Qin,
• Dan Hu and
• Hao Gao

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 1396–1402, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.144

• analyze the function of TadA, we introduced tadA into the quadruple auxotrophic host Aspergillus oryzae NSAR1 (niaD−, sC−, ∆argB, adeA−) (Supporting Information 1, Tables S1 and S2) [26], which has been widely used for biosynthesis of fungi-derived natural products due to its genetic tractability [27

Structural basis for endoperoxide-forming oxygenases

• Takahiro Mori and
• Ikuro Abe

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 707–721, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.71

• (FtmOx1) from Aspergillus fumigatus is the first identified nonheme iron and 2-oxoglutarate (Fe/2OG)-dependent endoperoxidase that catalyzes the formation of an endoperoxide in the biosynthesis of verruculogen [26]. Fe/2OG oxygenases utilize Fe(II) as a cofactor and 2OG and O2 as co-substrates (Scheme 3

• -dependent endoperoxygenase in the biosynthesis of novofumigatonin Enzyme reaction of NvfI Asnovolin A endoperoxygenase NvfI is a second example of a 2OG-dependent endoperoxygenase, which is involved in the biosynthesis of novofumigatonin from Aspergillus novofumigatus IBT 1680611 [27][28]. The enzyme

Cholyl 1,3,4-oxadiazole hybrid compounds: design, synthesis and antimicrobial assessment

• Anas J. Rasras,
• Mohamed El-Naggar,
• Nesreen A. Safwat and
• Raed A. Al-Qawasmeh

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 631–638, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.63

• against the pathogenic fungal strains Aspergillus fumigatus and Candida albicans. The sensitivity of the organisms was assayed against the activity of tested compounds solutions (at 10 mg/mL concentration) using a modified agar well diffusion method with determination of the inhibition zone diameter in mm

• antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was 4c, 4p, 4d, 4i, 4g, 4t, 4q, 4b, 4j, 4o, 4n, 4s, 4r, and 4l, respectively (Table 1). Moreover, compound 4i exhibited the highest activity against the pathogenic filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus followed by compounds 4s, 4p, 4j, 4q, 4o, 4g, 4k, 4t, 4m

α-Ketol and α-iminol rearrangements in synthetic organic and biosynthetic reactions

• Scott Benz and
• Andrew S. Murkin

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2570–2584, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.172

• a biosynthetic pathway for the novel steroid asperflotone (72), it was suggested that its source was asperfloroid (73), a similar steroid isolated from the same source fungus, Aspergillus flocculosus [23]. First, reduction of the C8–C9 double bond and oxidation at C15 would provide α-ketol 74

Progress and challenges in the synthesis of sequence controlled polysaccharides

• Giulio Fittolani,
• Theodore Tyrikos-Ergas,
• Denisa Vargová,
• Manishkumar A. Chaube and
• Martina Delbianco

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1981–2025, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.129

Natural products in the predatory defence of the filamentous fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus

• Jana M. Boysen,
• Nauman Saeed and
• Falk Hillmann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1814–1827, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.124

• microbial competitors, symbionts or predators. Here we exemplarily summarize our current knowledge on identified secondary metabolites of the pathogenic fungus Aspergillus fumigatus and their defensive function against (microbial) predators. Keywords: amoeba predation; Aspergillus fumigatus; fungal ecology

• the form of naturally grown truffles (e.g., Tuber melanosporum) or recently cultivated meat alternatives like Quorn® (Fusarium venenatum) [15][16][17]. Species of Aspergillus, such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger can affect the health of humans, plants and lifestock

• fungi also produce compounds with antibacterial, antifungal and insecticidal properties to ward of both competitors and predators. The mycotoxins aflatoxin B1 (1) from Aspergillus flavus and patulin (2), produced by Aspergillus and Penicillium species, exhibit insecticidal activity against Drosophila

Volatile emission and biosynthesis in endophytic fungi colonizing black poplar leaves

• Christin Walther,
• Pamela Baumann,
• Katrin Luck,
• Beate Rothe,
• Peter H. W. Biedermann,
• Jonathan Gershenzon,
• Tobias G. Köllner and
• Sybille B. Unsicker

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1698–1711, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.118

• contribute to the overall (E)-β-caryophyllene emission from the tree. To identify terpene synthase genes potentially involved in volatile terpene formation in Cladosporium, we sequenced the transcriptome and performed a de novo assembly of the obtained reads. A TBLASTN analysis with Aspergillus terreus

• . Identification and heterologous expression of terpene synthase genes To identify putative terpene synthases, a TBLASTN analysis with Aspergillus terreus aristolochene synthase (pdb 20A6) as query and the de novo transcriptome of Cladosporium sp. as a template was performed using the software BioEdit 7.0.9.0 [88

Regioselective chemoenzymatic syntheses of ferulate conjugates as chromogenic substrates for feruloyl esterases

• Olga Gherbovet,
• Fernando Ferreira,
• Apolline Clément,
• Mélanie Ragon,
• Julien Durand,
• Sophie Bozonnet,
• Michael J. O'Donohue and
• Régis Fauré

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 325–333, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.30

• regioselective functionalization of 4-nitrocatechol and enzymatic transferuloylation. The use of this strategy to characterize type A feruloyl esterase from Aspergillus niger reveals the advantages of this substrate for the characterizations of feruloyl esterases. Keywords: esterase; feruloylated conjugates

• from Aspergillus niger (AnFaeA, Figure 1C). Coloration is the result of successive reactions: (i) release of the free 5-bromo-4-chloro-indoxyl-3-ol by an enzyme cascade, wherein TxAbf-catalyzed cleavage of the glycosidic bond was made possible by the prior release by AnFaeA of the ferulate moiety [21

Muyocopronones A and B: azaphilones from the endophytic fungus Muyocopron laterale

• Ken-ichi Nakashima,
• Junko Tomida,
• Tomoe Tsuboi,
• Yoshiaki Kawamura and
• Makoto Inoue

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 2100–2107, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.177

• classes Eutiomycetes (e.g., Monascus, Penicillium, and Aspergillus spp.) and Sordariomycetes (e.g., Chaetomium, Hypoxylon, and Diaporthe spp.) [5]. In addition, some of the azaphilones have been also found in the Dothideomycetes class such as Pithomyces [6], Cochliobolus [7][8], and Leptosphaeria spp. [9

Antibacterial scalarane from Doriprismatica stellata nudibranchs (Gastropoda, Nudibranchia), egg ribbons, and their dietary sponge Spongia cf. agaricina (Demospongiae, Dictyoceratida)

• Cora Hertzer,
• Stefan Kehraus,
• Nils Böhringer,
• Fontje Kaligis,
• Robert Bara,
• Dirk Erpenbeck,
• Gert Wörheide,
• Till F. Schäberle,
• Heike Wägele and
• Gabriele M. König

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1596–1605, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.132

• for a wide chemodiversity of terpenoid natural products [14][81]. Besides, the marine fungi Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. are often associated with sponge hosts and were found to produce various terpenoids as well [15][82][83]. Hence, if sponges are not the origin of these metabolites, it is

Nanangenines: drimane sesquiterpenoids as the dominant metabolite cohort of a novel Australian fungus, Aspergillus nanangensis

• Heather J. Lacey,
• Cameron L. M. Gilchrist,
• Andrew Crombie,
• John A. Kalaitzis,
• Daniel Vuong,
• Peter J. Rutledge,
• Peter Turner,
• John I. Pitt,
• Ernest Lacey,
• Yit-Heng Chooi and
• Andrew M. Piggott

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 2631–2643, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.256

• , Australia School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, WA 6009, Australia Department of Molecular Sciences, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia 10.3762/bjoc.15.256 Abstract Chemical investigation of an undescribed Australian fungus, Aspergillus nanangensis, led to the

• : Aspergillus; biosynthesis; drimane; secondary metabolites; sesquiterpenoid; terpenes; Introduction The fungal genus Aspergillus is well recognised as a source of structurally diverse terpenoids comprising monoterpenoids [1], sesquiterpenoids [2][3][4][5], diterpenoids [6], sesterterpenoids [7][8][9

• [21], A. ochraceus [22], A. pseudodeflectus [17], A. carneus [23] and Aspergillus sp. strain IBWF002-96 [4][5] are biosynthetic sources of the drimane sesquiterpenoids. Drimane sesquiterpenoids, which are derived from a parent C15 pentamethyl-trans-decalin skeleton, are known to occur in plants