Lomaiviticin A and difluostatin A are benzofluorene-containing aromatic polyketides in the atypical angucycline family. Although these dimeric compounds are potent antitumor agents, how nature constructs their complex structures remains poorly understood. Herein, we report the discovery of a number of fluostatin type dimeric aromatic polyketides with varied C−C and C−N coupling patterns. We also demonstrate that these dimers are not true secondary metabolites, but are instead derived from non-enzymatic deacylation of biosynthetic acyl fluostatins. The non-enzymatic deacylation proceeds via a transient quinone methide like intermediate which facilitates the subsequent C–C/C−N coupled dimerization. Characterization of this unusual property of acyl fluostatins explains how dimerization takes place, and suggests a strategy for the assembly of C–C and C–N coupled aromatic polyketide dimers. Additionally, a deacylase FlsH was identified which may help to prevent accumulation of toxic quinone methides by catalyzing hydrolysis of the acyl group.

The biosynthesis gene cluster (fls) for atypical angucycline fluostatins was identified from the marine derived Micromonospora rosaria SCSIO N160 and was confirmed by gene knockouts and the biochemical characterization of a bifunctional oxygenase FlsO2. The absolute configuration of the key biosynthetic intermediate prejadomycin was determined for the first time by Cu Kα X-ray analysis. Heterologous expression of the intact fls-gene cluster in Streptomyces coelicolor YF11 in the presence of 3% sea salts led to the isolation of two new compounds: fluostatin L (1) and difluostatin A (2). Difluostatin A (2), an unusual heterodimer, exhibited antibacterial activities.

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The identification of a lobophorin biosynthetic gene cluster from the deep-sea derived Streptomyces sp. SCSIO 01127 reveals a paradigm of three glycosyltransferases (GTs) LobG1-LobG3 being responsible for appending four sugars. Characterization of five differentially glycosylated metabolites from three GT gene-inactivation mutants allowed the assignment of GT functions and the implication of LobG3 as an iterative GT to attach two digitoxoses.

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