Asperchalasine A (1), the first cytochalasan dimer featuring a unique decacyclic 5/6/11/5/5/6/5/11/6/5 ring system consisting of 20 chiral centers, was isolated from the culture broth of Aspergillus flavipes. Three biogenetically related intermediates, asperchalasines B-D (2-4), were also isolated. Their structures, including their absolute configurations, were elucidated using a combination of HRESIMS, NMR, ECD, molecular modeling, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Compound 1, which possesses an unprecedented 13-oxatetracyclo[7.2.1.1(2,5).0(1,6)]tridec-8,12-dione core structure, is the first example of a dimeric cytochalasan alkaloid. The biogenetic pathways of 1-4 were described starting from the co-isolated compounds 5 and 6. More importantly, 1 induced significant G1-phase cell cycle arrest by selectively inhibiting cyclin A, CDK2 and CDK6 in cancerous, but not normal, cells, highlighting it as a potentially selective cell cycle regulator against cancer cells.

HighlightThe roles of GmCIF1 and GmC/VIF1 as invertase inhibitors were examined in vitro in soybean (Glycine max), and post-translational elevation of extracellular invertase activity by silencing GmCIF1 expression was found to increase seed weight.

Seven new alkaloids, N-methylhaemanthidine chloride (1), N-methyl-5,6-dihydroplicane (5), O-methylnerinine (6), N-ethoxycarbonylethylcrinasiadine (7), N-ethoxycarbonylpropylcrinasiadine (8), N-phenethylcrinasiadine (9) and N-isopentylcrinasiadine (10), together with eight known alkaloids, haemanthamin (2), 3-epimacronine (3), (+)-tazettine (4), N-methylcrinasiadine (11), trisphaeridine (12), 5,6-dihydrobicolorine (13), lycorine (14), and nigragillin (15), were isolated from the whole plants of Zephyranthes candida. The structures of the new compounds were established by spectroscopic data interpretation, with single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis performed on 1. The absolute configuration of 3-epimacronine (3) was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis with CuKα irradiation. Compounds 1–15 were evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity against five human cancer cell lines and the Beas-2B immortalized (non-cancerous) human bronchial epithelial cell line. Compounds 1, 2, 9, and 14 exhibited cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 0.81 to 13 μM with selectivity indices as high as 10 when compared to the Beas-2B cell line.

Asperflavipines A (1) and B (2), two structurally complex merocytochalasans, were isolated from Aspergillus flavipes. Asperflavipine A (1), which contains two cytochalasan moieties and two epicoccine moieties, is the first cytochalasan heterotetramer to be discovered. It is uniquely defined by 5/6/11/5/6/5/6/5/6/5/5/11/6/5 fused tetradecacyclic rings with three continuous bridged ring systems. Asperflavipine B (2) is a cytochalasan heterotrimer containing a cytochalasan and two epicoccine moieties with a 5/6/11/5/5/6/5/6/5 nonacyclic ring system. The hypothetical biosynthesis of 1 and 2 is proposed to involve Diels-Alder and [3+2] cycloaddition reactions as key steps and reveals unparalleled plasticity in the biosynthesis of merocytochalasans. The existence of 1 adds a new dimension to the diversity of the cytochalasan family. Compound 1 showed moderate cytotoxicity and induced apoptosis in Jurkat, NB4, and HL60 cells through the activation of caspase-3 and degradation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP).

Bioassay-guided isolation of cultures of Aspergillus sp. TJ23 yielded a novel terpene-polyketide hybrid spiromeroterpenoid, spiroaspertrione A (1), bearing a unique spiro[bicyclo[3.2.2]nonane-2,1'-cyclohexane] carbocyclic skeleton, and a new biointermediate, andiconin B (2). Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic analyses, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and electronic circular dichroism calculations. Compound 1 demonstrated potent resensitization of oxacillin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by lowering the oxacillin minimal inhibitory concentration up to 32-fold from 32 to 1 μg/mL.