Genome-based discovery and total synthesis of janustatins, potent cytotoxins from a plant-associated bacterium.

Host-associated bacteria are increasingly being recognized as underexplored sources of bioactive natural products with unprecedented chemical scaffolds. A recently identified example is the plant-root-associated marine bacterium Gynuella sunshinyii of the chemically underexplored order Oceanospirillales. Its genome contains at least 22 biosynthetic gene clusters, suggesting a rich and mostly uncharacterized specialized metabolism. Here, in silico chemical prediction of a non-canonical polyketide synthase cluster has led to the discovery of janustatins, structurally unprecedented polyketide alkaloids with potent cytotoxicity that are produced in minute quantities. A combination of MS and two-dimensional NMR experiments, density functional theory calculations of 13C chemical shifts and semiquantitative interpretation of transverse rotating-frame Overhauser effect spectroscopy data were conducted to determine the relative configuration, which enabled the total synthesis of both enantiomers and assignment of the absolute configuration. Janustatins feature a previously unknown pyridodihydropyranone heterocycle and an unusual biological activity consisting of delayed, synchronized cell death at subnanomolar concentrations.

N-Succinyltransferase Encoded by a Cryptic Siderophore Biosynthesis Gene Cluster in Streptomyces Modifies Structurally Distinct Antibiotics.

The antibiotic desertomycin A and its previously undescribed inactive N-succinylated analogue, desertomycin X, were isolated from Streptomyces sp. strain YIM 121038. Genome sequencing and analysis readily identified the desertomycin biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC), which lacked genes encoding acyltransferases that would account for desertomycin X formation. Scouting the genome for putative N-acyltransferase genes led to the identification of a candidate within a cryptic siderophore BGC (csb) encoding a putative homologue of the N6'-hydroxylysine acetyltransferase IucB. Expression of the codon-optimized gene designated csbC in Escherichia coli yielded the recombinant protein that was able to N-succinylate desertomycin A as well as several other structurally distinct antibiotics harboring amino groups. Some antibiotics were rendered antibiotically inactive due to the CsbC-catalyzed succinylation in vitro. Unlike many known N-acyltransferases involved in antibiotic resistance, CsbC could not efficiently acetylate the same antibiotics. When expressed in E. coli, CsbC provided low-level resistance to kanamycin and ampicillin, suggesting that it may play a role in antibiotic resistance in natural habitats, where the concentration of antibiotics is usually low. IMPORTANCE In their natural habitats, bacteria encounter a plethora of organic compounds, some of which may be represented by antibiotics produced by certain members of the microbial community. A number of antibiotic resistance mechanisms have been described, including those specified by distinct genes encoding proteins that degrade, modify, or expel antibiotics. In this study, we report identification and characterization of an enzyme apparently involved in the biosynthesis of a siderophore, but also having the ability of modify and thereby inactivate a wide variety of structurally diverse antibiotics. This discovery sheds light on additional capabilities of bacteria to withstand antibiotic treatment and suggests that enzymes involved in secondary metabolism may have an additional function in the natural environment.

Atropopeptides are a Novel Family of Ribosomally Synthesized and Posttranslationally Modified Peptides with a Complex Molecular Shape.

Biomacromolecules are known to feature complex three-dimensional shapes that are essential for their function. Among natural products, ambiguous molecular shapes are a rare phenomenon. The hexapeptide tryptorubin A can adopt one of two unusual atropisomeric configurations. Initially hypothesized to be a non-ribosomal peptide, we show that tryptorubin A is the first characterized member of a new family of ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptides (RiPPs) that we named atropopeptides. The sole modifying enzyme encoded in the gene cluster, a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, is responsible for the atropospecific formation of one carbon-carbon and two carbon-nitrogen bonds. The characterization of two additional atropopeptide biosynthetic pathways revealed a two-step maturation process. Atropopeptides promote pro-angiogenic cell functions as indicated by an increase in endothelial cell proliferation and undirected migration. Our study expands the biochemical space of RiPP-modifying enzymes and paves the way towards the chemoenzymatic utilization of atropopeptide-modifying P450s.

The Peptide A-3302-B Isolated from a Marine Bacterium Micromonospora sp. Inhibits HSV-2 Infection by Preventing the Viral Egress from Host Cells.

Herpesviruses are highly prevalent in the human population, and frequent reactivations occur throughout life. Despite antiviral drugs against herpetic infections, the increasing appearance of drug-resistant viral strains and their adverse effects prompt the research of novel antiherpetic drugs for treating lesions. Peptides obtained from natural sources have recently become of particular interest for antiviral therapy applications. In this work, we investigated the antiviral activity of the peptide A-3302-B, isolated from a marine bacterium, Micromonospora sp., strain MAG 9-7, against herpes simplex virus type 1, type 2, and human cytomegalovirus. Results showed that the peptide exerted a specific inhibitory activity against HSV-2 with an EC50 value of 14 µM. Specific antiviral assays were performed to investigate the mechanism of action of A-3302-B. We demonstrated that the peptide did not affect the expression of viral proteins, but it inhibited the late events of the HSV-2 replicative cycle. In detail, it reduced the cell-to-cell virus spread and the transmission of the extracellular free virus by preventing the egress of HSV-2 progeny from the infected cells. The dual antiviral and previously reported anti-inflammatory activities of A-3302-B, and its effect against an acyclovir-resistant HSV-2 strain are attractive features for developing a therapeutic to reduce the transmission of HSV-2 infections.

Modular Halogenation, α-Hydroxylation, and Acylation by a Remarkably Versatile Polyketide Synthase.

Bacterial multimodular polyketide synthases (PKSs) are large enzymatic assembly lines that synthesize many bioactive natural products of therapeutic relevance. While PKS catalysis is mostly based on fatty acid biosynthetic principles, polyketides can be further diversified by post-PKS enzymes. Here, we characterized a remarkably versatile trans-acyltransferase (trans-AT) PKS from Serratia that builds structurally complex macrolides via more than ten functionally distinct PKS modules. In the oocydin PKS, we identified a new oxygenation module that α-hydroxylates polyketide intermediates, a halogenating module catalyzing backbone γ-chlorination, and modular O-acetylation by a thioesterase-like domain. These results from a single biosynthetic assembly line highlight the expansive biochemical repertoire of trans-AT PKSs and provide diverse modular tools for engineered biosynthesis from a close relative of E. coli.

Aquimarins, Peptide Antibiotics with Amino-Modified C-Termini from a Sponge-Derived Aquimarina sp. Bacterium.

Genome mining and bioactivity studies suggested the sponge-derived bacterium Aquimarina sp. Aq135 as a producer of new antibiotics. Activity-guided isolation identified antibacterial peptides, named aquimarins, featuring a new scaffold with an unusual C-terminal amino group and chlorine moieties. Responsible for the halogenation is the FeII /α-ketoglutarate-dependent chlorinase AqmA that halogenates up to two isoleucine residues in a carrier protein-dependent fashion. Total syntheses of two natural aquimarins and eight non-natural variants were developed. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies with these compounds showed that the synthetically more laborious chlorinations are not required for antibacterial activity but enhance cytotoxicity. In contrast, variants lacking the C-terminal amine were virtually inactive, suggesting diamines similar to the terminal aquimarin residue as candidate building blocks for new peptidomimetic antibiotics.

Evolution of combinatorial diversity in trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthase assembly lines across bacteria.

Trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthases (trans-AT PKSs) are bacterial multimodular enzymes that biosynthesize diverse pharmaceutically and ecologically important polyketides. A notable feature of this natural product class is the existence of chemical hybrids that combine core moieties from different polyketide structures. To understand the prevalence, biosynthetic basis, and evolutionary patterns of this phenomenon, we developed transPACT, a phylogenomic algorithm to automate global classification of trans-AT PKS modules across bacteria and applied it to 1782 trans-AT PKS gene clusters. These analyses reveal widespread exchange patterns suggesting recombination of extended PKS module series as an important mechanism for metabolic diversification in this natural product class. For three plant-associated bacteria, i.e., the root colonizer Gynuella sunshinyii and the pathogens Xanthomonas cannabis and Pseudomonas syringae, we demonstrate the utility of this computational approach for uncovering cryptic relationships between polyketides, accelerating polyketide mining from fragmented genome sequences, and discovering polyketide variants with conserved moieties of interest. As natural combinatorial hybrids are rare among the more commonly studied cis-AT PKSs, this study paves the way towards evolutionarily informed, rational PKS engineering to produce chimeric trans-AT PKS-derived polyketides.

A novel methymycin analog, 12-ketomethymycin N-oxide, produced by the heterologous expression of the large pikromycin/methymycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces sp. AM4900.

A novel methymycin analog, 12-ketomethymycin N-oxide, was produced by the heterologous expression of the pikromycin/methymycin biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces sp. AM4900 together with 12-ketomethymycin, which was only isolated by the biotransformation of the synthetic intermediate before. Their structures were determined by the spectroscopic data and the chemical derivatization. 12-Ketomethymycin showed a weak cytotoxicity against SKOV-3 and Jurkat cells, although its N-oxide analog did not show any activity. Both showed no antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli and Micrococcus luteus.

Pseudoalteropeptide A, a novel lipopeptide from the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas piscicida SWA4_PA4 isolated from marine seaweed.

A new lipopeptide, pseudoalteropeptide A (1) was isolated from the marine bacterium Pseudoalteromonas piscicida SWA4_PA4. The structure was elucidated by spectroscopic analyses including NMR and MSMS spectra. It showed moderate iron chelating activity as well as cytotoxic activity against Jurkat human T lymphocyte cells. isolation/marine bacterium/natural product/structure elucidation.

In vitro Cas9-assisted editing of modular polyketide synthase genes to produce desired natural product derivatives.

One major bottleneck in natural product drug development is derivatization, which is pivotal for fine tuning lead compounds. A promising solution is modifying the biosynthetic machineries of middle molecules such as macrolides. Although intense studies have established various methodologies for protein engineering of type I modular polyketide synthase(s) (PKSs), the accurate targeting of desired regions in the PKS gene is still challenging due to the high sequence similarity between its modules. Here, we report an innovative technique that adapts in vitro Cas9 reaction and Gibson assembly to edit a target region of the type I modular PKS gene. Proof-of-concept experiments using rapamycin PKS as a template show that heterologous expression of edited biosynthetic gene clusters produced almost all the desired derivatives. Our results are consistent with the promiscuity of modular PKS and thus, our technique will provide a platform to generate rationally designed natural product derivatives for future drug development.

Genome Mining of Oxidation Modules in trans-Acyltransferase Polyketide Synthases Reveals a Culturable Source for Lobatamides.

Bacterial trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthases (trans-AT PKSs) are multimodular megaenzymes that biosynthesize many bioactive natural products. They contain a remarkable range of domains and module types that introduce different substituents into growing polyketide chains. As one such modification, we recently reported Baeyer-Villiger-type oxygen insertion into nascent polyketide backbones, thereby generating malonyl thioester intermediates. In this work, genome mining focusing on architecturally diverse oxidation modules in trans-AT PKSs led us to the culturable plant symbiont Gynuella sunshinyii, which harbors two distinct modules in one orphan PKS. The PKS product was revealed to be lobatamide A, a potent cytotoxin previously only known from a marine tunicate. Biochemical studies show that one module generates glycolyl thioester intermediates, while the other is proposed to be involved in oxime formation. The data suggest varied roles of oxygenation modules in the biosynthesis of polyketide scaffolds and support the importance of trans-AT PKSs in the specialized metabolism of symbiotic bacteria.

Characterization of an Orphan Type†III Polyketide Synthase Conserved in Uncultivated "Entotheonella" Sponge Symbionts.

Uncultivated bacterial symbionts from the candidate genus "Entotheonella" have been shown to produce diverse natural products previously attributed to their sponge hosts. In addition to these known compounds, "Entotheonella" genomes contain rich sets of biosynthetic gene clusters that lack identified natural products. Among these is a small type III polyketide synthase (PKS) cluster, one of only three clusters present in all known "Entotheonella" genomes. This conserved "Entotheonella" PKS (cep) cluster encodes the type III PKS CepA and the putative methyltransferase CepB. Herein, the characterization of CepA as an enzyme involved in phenolic lipid biosynthesis is reported. In vitro analysis showed a specificity for alkyl starter substrates and the production of tri- and tetraketide pyrones and tetraketide resorcinols. The conserved distribution of the cep cluster suggests an important role for the phenolic lipid polyketides produced in "Entotheonella" variants.

Novel macrolactam compound produced by the heterologous expression of a large cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces rochei IFO12908.

In the course of our studies on the heterologous expression of giant biosynthetic genes, we discovered a novel cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces rochei IFO12908. During our efforts to express biosynthetic genes using the host SUKA strain derived from Streptomyces avermitilis, a novel polyene macrolactam compound designated as JBIR-156 was produced. We report herein the cloning and heterologous expression of the JBIR-156 biosynthetic gene cluster, and the isolation, structure determination, and cytotoxic activity of this novel compound.

Automated structure prediction of trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthase products.

Bacterial trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthases (trans-AT PKSs) are among the most complex known enzymes from secondary metabolism and are responsible for the biosynthesis of highly diverse bioactive polyketides. However, most of these metabolites remain uncharacterized, since trans-AT PKSs frequently occur in poorly studied microbes and feature a remarkable array of non-canonical biosynthetic components with poorly understood functions. As a consequence, genome-guided natural product identification has been challenging. To enable de novo structural predictions for trans-AT PKS-derived polyketides, we developed the trans-AT PKS polyketide predictor (TransATor). TransATor is a versatile bio- and chemoinformatics web application that suggests informative chemical structures for even highly aberrant trans-AT PKS biosynthetic gene clusters, thus permitting hypothesis-based, targeted biotechnological discovery and biosynthetic studies. We demonstrate the applicative scope in several examples, including the characterization of new variants of bioactive natural products as well as structurally new polyketides from unusual bacterial sources.

Aranazoles: Extensively Chlorinated Nonribosomal Peptide-Polyketide Hybrids from the Cyanobacterium Fischerella sp. PCC 9339.

An analysis of cyanobacterial genomes revealed an architecturally unique biosynthetic gene cluster with an unusually high number of genes encoding predicted iron(II)/α-ketoglutarate-dependent halogenases. Mass spectrometry-guided identification of the corresponding metabolites yielded the aranazoles, extensively halogenated nonribosomal peptide-polyketide hybrids. Their chlorine-bearing fatty acyl-like moiety is reminiscent of the hyperhalogenated chlorosulfolipids, natural products of unknown enzymatic origin that were previously isolated from eukaryotic algae and mussels.

Bipartite interactions, antibiotic production and biosynthetic potential of the Arabidopsis leaf microbiome.

Plants are colonized by phylogenetically diverse microorganisms that affect plant growth and health. Representative genome-sequenced culture collections of bacterial isolates from model plants, including Arabidopsis thaliana, have recently been established. These resources provide opportunities for systematic interaction screens combined with genome mining to discover uncharacterized natural products. Here, we report on the biosynthetic potential of 224 strains isolated from the A. thaliana phyllosphere. Genome mining identified more than 1,000 predicted natural product biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), hundreds of which are unknown compared to the MIBiG database of characterized BGCs. For functional validation, we used a high-throughput screening approach to monitor over 50,000 binary strain combinations. We observed 725 inhibitory interactions, with 26 strains contributing to the majority of these. A combination of imaging mass spectrometry and bioactivity-guided fractionation of the most potent inhibitor, the BGC-rich Brevibacillus sp. Leaf182, revealed three distinct natural product scaffolds that contribute to the observed antibiotic activity. Moreover, a genome mining-based strategy led to the isolation of a trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthase-derived antibiotic, macrobrevin, which displays an unprecedented natural product structure. Our findings demonstrate that the phyllosphere is a valuable environment for the identification of antibiotics and natural products with unusual scaffolds.

Genome-Based Identification of a Plant-Associated Marine Bacterium as a Rich Natural Product Source.

The large number of sequenced bacterial genomes provides the opportunity to bioinformatically identify rich natural product sources among previously neglected microbial groups. Testing this discovery strategy, unusually high biosynthetic potential was suggested for the Oceanospirillales member Gynuella sunshinyii, a Gram-negative marine bacterium from the rhizosphere of the halophilic plant Carex scabrifolia. Its genome contains numerous unusual biosynthetic gene clusters for diverse types of metabolites. Genome-guided isolation yielded representatives of four different natural product classes, of which only alteramide A was known. Cytotoxic lacunalides were identified as products of a giant trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthase gene cluster, one of six present in this strain. Cytological profiling against HeLa cells suggested that lacunalide A disrupts CDK signaling in the cell cycle. In addition, chemical studies on model compounds were conducted, suggesting the structurally unusual ergoynes as products of a conjugated diyne-thiourea cyclization reaction.

A Polyketide Synthase Component for Oxygen Insertion into Polyketide Backbones.

Enzymatic core components from trans-acyltransferase polyketide synthases (trans-AT PKSs) catalyze exceptionally diverse biosynthetic transformations to generate structurally complex bioactive compounds. Here we focus on a group of oxygenases identified in various trans-AT PKS pathways, including those for pederin, oocydins, and toblerols. Using the oocydin pathway homologue (OocK) from Serratia plymuthica 4Rx13 and N-acetylcysteamine (SNAC) thioesters as test surrogates for acyl carrier protein (ACP)-tethered intermediates, we show that the enzyme inserts oxygen into ß-ketoacyl moieties to yield malonyl ester SNAC products. Based on these data and the identification of a non-hydrolyzed oocydin congener with retained ester moiety, we propose a unified biosynthetic pathway of oocydins, haterumalides, and biselides. By providing access to internal ester, carboxylate pseudostarter, and terminal hydroxyl functions, oxygen insertion into polyketide backbones greatly expands the biosynthetic scope of PKSs.

Toblerols: Cyclopropanol-Containing Polyketide Modulators of Antibiosis in Methylobacteria.

Trans-AT polyketide synthases (PKSs) are a family of biosynthetically versatile modular type I PKSs that generate bioactive polyketides of impressive structural diversity. In this study, we detected, in the genome of several bacteria a cryptic, architecturally unusual trans-AT PKS gene cluster which eluded automated PKS prediction. Genomic mining of one of these strains, the model methylotroph Methylobacterium extorquens AM1, revealed unique epoxide- and cyclopropanol-containing polyketides named toblerols. Relative and absolute stereochemistry were determined by NMR experiments, chemical derivatization, and the comparison of CD data between the derivatized natural product and a synthesized model compound. Biosynthetic data suggest that the cyclopropanol moiety is generated by carbon-carbon shortening of a more extended precursor. Surprisingly, a knock-out strain impaired in polyketide production showed strong inhibitory activity against other methylobacteria in contrast to the wild-type producer. The activity was inhibited by complementation with toblerols, thus suggesting that these compounds modulate an as-yet unknown methylobacterial antibiotic.