Malformin C

Malformin C, an algicidal peptide from marine fungus Aspergillus species.[Pubmed:33755843]

Ecotoxicology. 2021 Jul;30(5):996-1003.

A natural compound with the algicidal effect was isolated from the culture medium of Aspergillus sp. SCSIOW2 and was identified as Malformin C, which was based on the data of (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR, and ESI-MS. Malformin C exhibited dose-dependent algicidal activities against two strains of noxious red tide algae, Akashiwo sanguinea and Chattonella marina. The activity against A. sanguinea was stronger than that against C. marina (the algicidal activity of 58 and 36% at 50 muM treatment for 2 h, respectively). Morphology changes including perforation, plasmolysis, and fragmentation of algal cells were observed. Malformin C induced a significant increase in ROS level, caused the damage of SOD activity, and led to the massive generation of MDA contents in algae cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the cyclic peptide described as an algicidal compound against HABs.

Diversity and toxigenicity of fungi and description of Fusarium madaense sp. nov. from cereals, legumes and soils in north-central Nigeria.[Pubmed:32565683]

MycoKeys. 2020 Jun 8;67:95-124.

Mycological investigation of various foods (mainly cowpea, groundnut, maize, rice, sorghum) and agricultural soils from two states in north-central Nigeria (Nasarawa and Niger), was conducted in order to understand the role of filamentous fungi in food contamination and public health. A total of 839 fungal isolates were recovered from 84% of the 250 food and all 30 soil samples. Preliminary identifications were made, based on macro- and micromorphological characters. Representative strains (n = 121) were studied in detail using morphology and DNA sequencing, involving genera/species-specific markers, while extrolite profiles using LC-MS/MS were obtained for a selection of strains. The representative strains grouped in seven genera (Aspergillus, Fusarium, Macrophomina, Meyerozyma, Neocosmospora, Neotestudina and Phoma). Amongst the 21 species that were isolated during this study was one novel species belonging to the Fusarium fujikuroi species complex, F. madaense sp. nov., obtained from groundnut and sorghum in Nasarawa state. The examined strains produced diverse extrolites, including several uncommon compounds: averantinmethylether in A. aflatoxiformans; aspergillimide in A. flavus; heptelidic acid in A. austwickii; desoxypaxillin, kotanin A and paspalitrems (A and B) in A. aflatoxiformans, A. austwickii and A. cerealis; aurasperon C, dimethylsulochrin, fellutanine A, methylorsellinic acid, nigragillin and pyrophen in A. brunneoviolaceus; cyclosporins (A, B, C and H) in A. niger; methylorsellinic acid, pyrophen and secalonic acid in A. piperis; aspulvinone E, fonsecin, kojic acid, kotanin A, Malformin C, pyranonigrin and pyrophen in A. vadensis; and all compounds in F. madaense sp. nov., Meyerozyma, Neocosmospora and Neotestudina. This study provides snapshot data for prediction of food contamination and fungal biodiversity exploitation.

Calm Before the Storm: A Glimpse into the Secondary Metabolism of Aspergillus welwitschiae, the Etiologic Agent of the Sisal Bole Rot.[Pubmed:31671681]

Toxins (Basel). 2019 Oct 30;11(11):631.

Aspergillus welwitschiae is a species of the Nigri section of the genus Aspergillus. In nature, it is usually a saprotroph, decomposing plant material. However, it causes the bole rot disease of Agave sisalana (sisal), a plant species used for the extraction of hard natural fibers, causing great economic loss to this culture. In this study, we isolated and sequenced one genome of A. welwitschiae (isolate CCMB 674 (Collection of Cultures of Microorganisms of Bahia)) from the stem tissues of sisal and performed in silico and wet lab experimental strategies to describe its ability to produce mycotoxins. CCMB 674 possesses 64 secondary metabolite gene clusters (SMGCs) and, under normal conditions, it produces secondary metabolism compounds that could disturb the cellular cycle of sisal or induce abnormalities in plant growth, such as Malformin C. This isolate also produces a pigment that might explain the characteristic red color of the affected tissues. Additionally, this isolate is defective for the production of fumonisin B1, and, despite bearing the full cluster for the synthesis of this compound, it did not produce ochratoxin A. Altogether, these results provide new information on possible strategies used by the fungi during the sisal bole rot, helping to better understand this disease and how to control it.

Mycobacterium smegmatis alters the production of secondary metabolites by marine-derived Aspergillus niger.[Pubmed:31321600]

J Nat Med. 2020 Jan;74(1):76-82.

It is generally accepted that fungi have a number of dormant gene clusters for the synthesis of secondary metabolites, and the activation of these gene clusters can expand the diversity of secondary metabolites in culture. Recent studies have revealed that the mycolic acid-containing bacterium Tsukamurella pulmonis activates dormant gene clusters in the bacterial genus Streptomyces. However, it is not clear whether the mycolic acid-containing bacteria activate dormant gene clusters of fungi. We performed co-culture experiments using marine-derived Aspergillus niger with Mycobacterium smegmatis, a mycolic acid-containing bacteria. The co-cultivation resulted in the production of a pigment by A. niger and increased cytotoxic activity of the extract against human prostate cancer DU145 cells. An analysis of secondary metabolites in the extract of the co-culture broth revealed that the increase in cytotoxic activity was caused by the production of Malformin C (1), and that TMC-256A1 (2), desmethylkotanin (3), and aurasperone C (4) were selectively produced under co-culture conditions. In addition, further study suggested that direct interaction between the two microorganisms was necessary for the production of the pigment and the cytotoxic compound Malformin C (1) from A. niger. Given the biological activities of Malformin C, including cytotoxic activity, our approach for increasing the production of bioactive secondary metabolites has important practical applications and may facilitate structural analyses of novel bioactive compounds.

New cytotoxic furan from the marine sediment-derived fungi Aspergillus niger.[Pubmed:28135874]

Nat Prod Res. 2017 Nov;31(22):2599-2603.

A fungal strain of Aspergillus niger was recovered from sediments collected in the Northeast coast of Brazil (Pecem's offshore port terminal). Cultivation in different growth media yielded a new ester furan derivative, 1, along with malformin A1, Malformin C, cyclo (trans-4-hydroxy-L-Pro-L-Leu), cyclo (trans-4-hydroxy-L-Pro-L-Phe), cyclo (L-Pro-L-Leu), cyclo (L-Pro-L-Phe), pseurotin D, pseurotin A, chlovalicin, cyclo (L-Pro-L-Tyr) and cyclo (L-Pro-L-Val). Compound 1 was cytotoxic against HCT-116 cell line, showing IC(50) = 2.9 mug/mL (CI 95% from 1.8 to 4.7 mug/mL).

Aspernigrins with anti-HIV-1 activities from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus niger SCSIO Jcsw6F30.[Pubmed:26711143]

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2016 Jan 15;26(2):361-365.

Two new 2-benzylpyridin-4-one containing metabolites, aspernigrins C (3) and D (4), together with six known compounds (1, 2, and 5-8), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Aspergillus niger SCSIO Jcsw6F30. The structures of the new compounds were determined by NMR, MS, and optical rotation analyses. All the isolated compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activities against infection with HIV-1 SF162 in TZM-bl cells. Malformin C (5) showed the strongest anti-HIV-1 activity with IC50 of 1.4+/-0.06muM (selectivity index, 11.4), meanwhile aspernigrin C (3) also exhibited potent activity with IC50 of 4.7+/-0.4muM (selectivity index, 7.5).

Study of Malformin C, a Fungal Source Cyclic Pentapeptide, as an Anti-Cancer Drug.[Pubmed:26540166]

PLoS One. 2015 Nov 5;10(11):e0140069.

Malformin C, a fungal cyclic pentapeptide, has been claimed to have anti-cancer potential, but no in vivo study was available to substantiate this property. Therefore, we conducted in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate its anti-cancer effects and toxicity. Our studies showed Malformin C inhibited Colon 38 and HCT 116 cell growth dose-dependently with an IC50 of 0.27+/-0.07muM and 0.18+/-0.023muM respectively. This inhibition was explicated by Malformin C's effect on G2/M arrest. Moreover, we observed up-regulated expression of phospho-histone H2A.X, p53, cleaved CASPASE 3 and LC3 after Malformin C treatment, while the apoptosis assay indicated an increased population of necrotic and late apoptotic cells. In vivo, the pathological study exhibited the acute toxicity of Malformin C at lethal dosage in BDF1 mice might be caused by an acute yet subtle inflammatory response, consistent with elevated IL-6 in the plasma cytokine assay. Further anti-tumor and toxicity experiments proved that 0.3mg/kg injected weekly was the best therapeutic dosage of Malformin C in Colon 38 xenografted BDF1 mice, whereas 0.1mg/kg every other day showed no effect with higher resistance, and 0.9mg/kg per week either led to fatal toxicity in seven-week old mice or displayed no advantage over 0.3mg/kg group in nine-week old mice. Overall, we conclude that Malformin C arrests Colon 38 cells in G2/M phase and induces multiple forms of cell death through necrosis, apoptosis and autophagy. Malformin C has potent cell growth inhibition activity, but the therapeutic index is too low to be an anti-cancer drug.

Proteome analysis of Aspergillus niger: lactate added in starch-containing medium can increase production of the mycotoxin fumonisin B2 by modifying acetyl-CoA metabolism.[Pubmed:20003296]

BMC Microbiol. 2009 Dec 10;9:255.

BACKGROUND: Aspergillus niger is a filamentous fungus found in the environment, on foods and feeds and is used as host for production of organic acids, enzymes and proteins. The mycotoxin fumonisin B2 was recently found to be produced by A. niger and hence very little is known about production and regulation of this metabolite. Proteome analysis was used with the purpose to reveal how fumonisin B2 production by A. niger is influenced by starch and lactate in the medium. RESULTS: Fumonisin B2 production by A. niger was significantly increased when lactate and starch were combined in the medium. Production of a few other A. niger secondary metabolites was affected similarly by lactate and starch (fumonisin B4, orlandin, desmethylkotanin and pyranonigrin A), while production of others was not (ochratoxin A, ochratoxin alpha, malformin A, Malformin C, kotanin, aurasperone B and tensidol B). The proteome of A. niger was clearly different during growth on media containing 3% starch, 3% starch + 3% lactate or 3% lactate. The identity of 59 spots was obtained, mainly those showing higher or lower expression levels on medium with starch and lactate. Many of them were enzymes in primary metabolism and other processes that affect the intracellular level of acetyl-CoA or NADPH. This included enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway, pyruvate metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, ammonium assimilation, fatty acid biosynthesis and oxidative stress protection. CONCLUSIONS: Lactate added in a medium containing nitrate and starch can increase fumonisin B2 production by A. niger as well as production of some other secondary metabolites. Changes in the balance of intracellular metabolites towards a higher level of carbon passing through acetyl-CoA and a high capacity to regenerate NADPH during growth on medium with starch and lactate were found to be the likely cause of this effect. The results lead to the hypothesis that fumonisin production by A. niger is regulated by acetyl-CoA.

Solid-phase synthesis and biological activity of malformin C and its derivatives.[Pubmed:19876076]

J Antibiot (Tokyo). 2009 Dec;62(12):681-6.

We accomplished the solid-phase total synthesis of Malformin C, which is adaptable for the easy preparation of various derivatives. A solid-phase total synthesis of Malformin C was achieved by on-resin macrolactamization and disulfide bond formation, with concurrent cleavage from the resin. Antimalarial and antitrypanosomal activities were examined, which helped elucidate partial structure-activity relationships. Results indicate that the disulfide bond is essential and branched amino acids are also crucial components if the compound is to exhibit potent antimalarial and antitrypanosomal properties.

Total synthesis of malformin C, an inhibitor of bleomycin-induced G2 arrest.[Pubmed:18653995]

J Antibiot (Tokyo). 2008 May;61(5):297-302.

Total synthesis of a fungal cyclic peptide, Malformin C, recently rediscovered as a G2 checkpoint inhibitor was completed. Our synthesis involved a convergent approach with respect to a linear pentapeptide, cyclization, and oxidative disulfide formation.

Fungal malformins inhibit bleomycin-induced G2 checkpoint in Jurkat cells.[Pubmed:17666789]

Biol Pharm Bull. 2007 Aug;30(8):1379-83.

A DNA-damaging agent, bleomycin, arrests the cell cycle at the G2 phase of Jurkat cells, which are defective in the G1 checkpoint, while microtubule-disrupting colchicine arrests it at M phase. Fungal cyclopeptides, malformin A1 and Malformin C, were found to abrogate bleomycin-induced G2 arrest (IC(50); 0.48 microM and 0.9 nM, respectively), resulting in a drastic decrease in cells in G2 phase and increase in cells in subG1 phase. On the other hand, malformins showed little effect on the colchicine-induced M phase arrest in Jurkat cells (IC(50); 2.7 microM and 24 nM, respectively). Malformin C (0.026 microM) also abrogated bleomycin-induced G2 arrest in colon cancer-derived HCT-116 cells. These data strongly suggest that Malformin C disrupted the cell cycle at the G2 checkpoint of cancer cells, leading to sensitization of the cancer cells to the anti-cancer reagent.

Biosynthetically diverse compounds from a saltwater culture of sponge-derived Aspergillus niger.[Pubmed:10650076]

J Nat Prod. 2000 Jan;63(1):41-3.

The new compound, asperic acid (1), and the known compounds hexylitaconic acid (2), Malformin C (3), pyrophen (4), and asperazine (5) were isolated from the saltwater culture of Aspergillus niger derived from a Caribbean sponge, Hyrtios proteus. The structure elucidation of asperic acid is presented.

Production and antibacterial activity of malforming C, a toxic metabolite of Aspergillus niger.[Pubmed:869543]

Appl Environ Microbiol. 1977 Apr;33(4):996-7.

The production of the new mycotoxin Malformin C by a solid substrate fermentation is described. Malformin C is highly toxic (mean lethal dose = 0.9 mg/kg) and exerts antibacterial activity against a variety of gram-positive and gram-negative organisms.