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Discovery of Marine Natural Products in China: Selected Papers from the 16th National Annual Conference and 2023 International Symposium on Marine Drugs (16-NASMD) Conference

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A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024 | Viewed by 15087

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Prof. Dr. Hong Wang

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Guest Editor

The College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
Interests: marine microbial natural products; antibiotics resistance; genome mining; bioinformatics; marine drugs
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Huawei Zhang

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School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
Interests: marine drug leads; efficient discovery; biosynthesis; fermentation preparation
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Dr. Bin Wei

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Guest Editor

School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
Interests: marine drugs; natural products; genome mining; bioinformatics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The biosynthetic potential of marine organisms has attracted increasing interest worldwide. The discovery of marine natural products (MNPs) with therapeutic potential has made remarkable achievements in recent years. The 16th National Annual Conference and 2023 International Symposium on Marine Drugs (16-NASMD) aim to provide a high-level international forum for scientists to present their new advances and research results regarding the discovery of MNPs. The 16-NASMD is sponsored by the Professional Committee of Marine Drugs of the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association, organized by the Institute of Marine Drugs, Zhejiang University of Technology, and held in Hangzhou, China, on 10th-12th November 2023. More detailed information about the conference can be found at https://acmp2023.sciconf.cn/cn/web/index/. This joint Special Issue will focus on bioactive natural products from the marine environment, including the following aspects:

The discovery, identification, and biological evaluation of new MNPs;
New strategies for the discovery of new and bioactive MNPs;
The biosynthesis, total synthesis, and structural modification of bioactive MNPs;
Molecular or pharmacological mechanisms of bioactive MNPs.

Please note that registration for the 16-NASMD is required for acceptance. All attendees of the conference enjoy a 20% discount on the APC to publish in this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Hong Wang
Prof. Dr. Huawei Zhang
Dr. Bin Wei
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 2148 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Meroterpenoids from Marine Sponge Hyrtios sp. and Their Anticancer Activity against Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

by Jie Wang, Yue-Lu Yan, Xin-Yi Yu, Jia-Yan Pan, Xin-Lian Liu, Li-Li Hong and Bin Wang

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(4), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22040183 - 19 Apr 2024

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Abstract

Two new meroterpenoids, hyrtamide A (1) and hyrfarnediol A (2), along with two known ones, 3-farnesyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester (3) and dictyoceratin C (4), were isolated from a South China Sea sponge Hyrtios sp. Their structures were elucidated by NMR and MS data. Compounds 2–4 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against human colorectal cancer cells (HCT-116), showing IC₅₀ values of 41.6, 45.0, and 37.3 μM, respectively. Furthermore, compounds 3 and 4 significantly suppressed the invasion of HCT-116 cells while also downregulating the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR-1) and vimentin proteins, which are key markers associated with angiogenesis and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our findings suggest that compounds 3 and 4 may exert their anti-invasive effects on tumor cells by inhibiting the expression of VEGFR-1 and impeding the process of EMT. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Discovery of Marine Natural Products in China: Selected Papers from the 16th National Annual Conference and 2023 International Symposium on Marine Drugs (16-NASMD) Conference)

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18 pages, 8447 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Marine-Fungus-Derived Natural Compound 4-Hydroxyphenylacetic Acid Induces Autophagy to Exert Antithrombotic Effects in Zebrafish

by Shaoshuai Xin, Mengqi Zhang, Peihai Li, Lizhen Wang, Xuanming Zhang, Shanshan Zhang, Zhenqiang Mu, Houwen Lin, Xiaobin Li and Kechun Liu

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(4), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22040148 - 27 Mar 2024

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Abstract

Marine natural products are important sources of novel drugs. In this study, we isolated 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (HPA) from the marine-derived fungus Emericellopsis maritima Y39–2. The antithrombotic activity and mechanism of HPA were reported for the first time. Using a zebrafish model, we found that HPA had a strong antithrombotic activity because it can significantly increase cardiac erythrocytes, blood flow velocity, and heart rate, reduce caudal thrombus, and reverse the inflammatory response caused by Arachidonic Acid (AA). Further transcriptome analysis and qRT–PCR validation demonstrated that HPA may regulate autophagy by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to exert antithrombotic effects. Full article

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10 pages, 1692 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Two New Sesquiterpenoids and a New Shikimic Acid Metabolite from Mangrove Sediment-Derived Fungus Roussoella sp. SCSIO 41427

by Zimin Xiao, Jian Cai, Ting Chen, Yilin Wang, Yixin Chen, Yongyan Zhu, Chunmei Chen, Bin Yang, Xuefeng Zhou and Huaming Tao

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(3), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22030103 - 23 Feb 2024

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Abstract

Two new sesquiterpenoid derivatives, elgonenes M (1) and N (2), and a new shikimic acid metabolite, methyl 5-O-acetyl-5-epi-shikimate (3), were isolated from the mangrove sediment-derived fungus Roussoella sp. SCSIO 41427 together with fourteen known compounds (4–17). The planar structures were elucidated through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and mass spectroscopic (MS) analyses. The relative configurations of 1–3 were ascertained by NOESY experiments, while their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation. Elgonene M (1) exhibited inhibition of interleukin-1β (IL-1β) mRNA, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, at a concentration of 5 μM, with an inhibitory ratio of 31.14%. On the other hand, elgonene N (2) demonstrated inhibition at a concentration of 20 μM, with inhibitory ratios of 27.57%. Full article

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17 pages, 5670 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Peptide LLTRAGL Derived from Rapana venosa Exerts Protective Effect against Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Zebrafish Model by Regulating Multi-Pathways

by Yongna Cao, Fenghua Xu, Qing Xia, Kechun Liu, Houwen Lin, Shanshan Zhang and Yun Zhang

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(3), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22030100 - 22 Feb 2024

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Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with unknown pathogenesis which has been gradually considered a public health challenge worldwide. Peptides derived from Rapana venosa have been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect. In this study, peptide LLTRAGL derived from Rapana venosa was prepared by a solid phase synthesis technique. The protective effects of LLTRAGL were studied in a 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced zebrafish colitis model. The underlying mechanisms of LLTRAGL were predicted and validated by transcriptome, real-time quantitative PCR assays and molecular docking. The results showed that LLTRAGL reduced the number of macrophages migrating to the intestine, enhanced the frequency and rate of intestinal peristalsis and improved intestinal inflammatory damage. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis indicated the key pathways (NOD-like receptor signal pathway and necroptosis pathway) that link the underlying protective effects of LLTRAGL’s molecular mechanisms. In addition, the related genes in these pathways exhibited different expressions after TNBS treatment. Finally, molecular docking techniques further verified the RNA-sequencing results. In summary, LLTRAGL exerted protective effects in the model of TNBS-induced colitis zebrafish. Our findings provide valuable information for the future application of LLTRAGL in IBD. Full article

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12 pages, 1930 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Integrated Vectors with Strong Constitutive Promoters for High-Yield Antibiotic Production in Mangrove-Derived Streptomyces

by Mingxia Zhao, Zhiqiang Yang, Xinyue Li, Yaqi Liu, Yingying Zhang, Mengqian Zhang, Yangli Li, Xincheng Wang, Zixin Deng, Kui Hong and Dongqing Zhu

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(2), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22020094 - 18 Feb 2024

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Abstract

It is important to improve the production of bioactive secondary products for drug development. The Escherichia coli—Streptomyces shuttle vector pSET152 and its derived vector pIB139 containing a strong constitutive promoter ermEp* are commonly used as integrative vectors in actinomycetes. Four new integrative vectors carrying the strong constitutive promoter kasOp*, hrdBp, SCO5768p, and SP44, respectively, were constructed and proven to be functional in different mangrove-derived Streptomyces host strains by using kanamycin resistance gene neo as a reporter. Some biosynthetic genes of elaiophylins, azalomycin Fs, and armeniaspirols were selected and inserted into these vectors to overexpress in their producers including Streptomyces sp. 219807, Streptomyces sp. 211726, and S. armeniacus DSM 43125, resulting in an approximately 1.1–1.4-fold enhancement of the antibiotic yields. Full article

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16 pages, 4537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Purification and Properties of a Plasmin-like Marine Protease from Clamworm (Perinereis aibuhitensis)

by Tingting Jiang, Bing Zhang, Haixing Zhang, Mingjun Wei, Yue Su, Tuo Song, Shijia Ye, Yuping Zhu and Wenhui Wu

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(2), 68; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22020068 - 27 Jan 2024

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Abstract

Marine organisms are a rich source of enzymes that exhibit excellent biological activity and a wide range of applications. However, there has been limited research on the proteases found in marine mudflat organisms. Based on this background, the marine fibrinolytic enzyme FELP, which was isolated and purified from clamworm (Perinereis aibuhitensis), has exhibited excellent fibrinolytic activity. We demonstrated the FELP with a purification of 10.61-fold by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, ion-exchange chromatography, and gel-filtration chromatography. SDS-PAGE, fibrin plate method, and LC–MS/MS indicated that the molecular weight of FELP is 28.9 kDa and identified FELP as a fibrinolytic enzyme-like protease. FELP displayed the maximum fibrinolytic activity at pH 9 (407 ± 16 mm²) and 50 °C (724 ± 27 mm²) and had excellent stability at pH 7–11 (50%) or 30–60 °C (60%), respectively. The three-dimensional structure of some amino acid residues of FELP was predicted with the SWISS-MODEL. The fibrinolytic and fibrinogenolytic assays showed that the enzyme possessed direct fibrinolytic activity and indirect fibrinolysis via the activation of plasminogen; it could preferentially degrade Aα-chains of fibrinogen, followed by Bβ- and γ-chains. Overall, the fibrinolytic enzyme was successfully purified from Perinereis aibuhitensis, a marine Annelida (phylum), with favorable stability that has strong fibrinolysis activity in vitro. Therefore, FELP appears to be a potent fibrinolytic enzyme with an application that deserves further investigation. Full article

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11 pages, 2252 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Carneusones A-F, Benzophenone Derivatives from Sponge-Derived Fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00543

by Chun-Ju Lu, Li-Fen Liang, Geng-Si Zhang, Hai-Yan Li, Chun-Qing Fu, Qin Yu, Dong-Mei Zhou, Zhi-Wei Su, Kai Liu, Cheng-Hai Gao, Xin-Ya Xu and Yong-Hong Liu

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(2), 63; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22020063 - 25 Jan 2024

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Abstract

Six benzophenone derivatives, carneusones A-F (1–6), along with seven known compounds (7–13) were isolated from a strain of sponge-derived marine fungus Aspergillus carneus GXIMD00543. Their chemical structures were elucidated by detailed spectroscopic data and quantum chemical calculations. Compounds 5, 6, and 8 exhibited moderate anti-inflammatory activity on NO secretion using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells with EC₅₀ values of 34.6 ± 0.9, 20.2 ± 1.8, and 26.8 ± 1.7 μM, while 11 showed potent effect with an EC₅₀ value of 2.9 ± 0.1 μM. Full article

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18 pages, 8521 KiB

Open AccessArticle

New Polyene Macrolide Compounds from Mangrove-Derived Strain Streptomyces hiroshimensis GXIMD 06359: Isolation, Antifungal Activity, and Mechanism against Talaromyces marneffei

by Zhou Wang, Jianglin Yin, Meng Bai, Jie Yang, Cuiping Jiang, Xiangxi Yi, Yonghong Liu and Chenghai Gao

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(1), 38; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22010038 - 08 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1493

Abstract

Mangrove-derived actinomycetes represent a rich source of novel bioactive natural products in drug discovery. In this study, four new polyene macrolide antibiotics antifungalmycin B-E (1–4), along with seven known analogs (5–11), were isolated from the fermentation broth of the mangrove strain Streptomyces hiroshimensis GXIMD 06359. All compounds from this strain were purified using semi-preparative HPLC and Sephadex LH-20 gel filtration while following an antifungal activity-guided fractionation. Their structures were elucidated through spectroscopic techniques including UV, HR-ESI-MS, and NMR. These compounds exhibited broad-spectrum antifungal activity against Talaromyces marneffei with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values being in the range of 2–128 μg/mL except compound 2. This is the first report of polyene derivatives produced by S. hiroshimensis as bioactive compounds against T. marneffei. In vitro studies showed that compound 1 exerted a significantly stronger antifungal activity against T. marneffei than other new compounds, and the antifungal mechanism of compound 1 may be related to the disrupted cell membrane, which causes mitochondrial dysfunction, resulting in leakage of intracellular biological components, and subsequently, cell death. Taken together, this study provides a basis for compound 1 preventing and controlling talaromycosis. Full article

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12 pages, 2174 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hepialiamides A–C: Aminated Fusaric Acid Derivatives and Related Metabolites with Anti-Inflammatory Activity from the Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Samsoniella hepiali W7

by Zheng-Biao Zou, Tai-Zong Wu, Long-He Yang, Xi-Wen He, Wen-Ya Liu, Kai Zhang, Chun-Lan Xie, Ming-Min Xie, Yong Zhang, Xian-Wen Yang and Jun-Song Wang

Mar. Drugs 2023, 21(11), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/md21110596 - 16 Nov 2023

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Abstract

A systematic investigation combined with a Global Natural Products Social (GNPS) molecular networking approach, was conducted on the metabolites of the deep-sea-derived fungus Samsoniella hepiali W7, leading to the isolation of three new fusaric acid derivatives, hepialiamides A–C (1–3) and one novel hybrid polyketide hepialide (4), together with 18 known miscellaneous compounds (5–22). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated through detailed spectroscopic analysis. as well as TD-DFT-based ECD calculation. All isolates were tested for anti-inflammatory activity in vitro. Under a concentration of 1 µM, compounds 8, 11, 13, 21, and 22 showed potent inhibitory activity against nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglia cells, with inhibition rates of 34.2%, 30.7%, 32.9%, 38.6%, and 58.2%, respectively. Of particularly note is compound 22, which exhibited the most remarkable inhibitory activity, with an IC₅₀ value of 426.2 nM. Full article

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Review

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32 pages, 5779 KiB

Open AccessReview

Diversified Chemical Structures and Bioactivities of the Chemical Constituents Found in the Brown Algae Family Sargassaceae

by Yan Peng, Xianwen Yang, Riming Huang, Bin Ren, Bin Chen, Yonghong Liu and Hongjie Zhang

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(2), 59; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22020059 - 24 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1267

Abstract

Sargassaceae, the most abundant family in Fucales, was recently formed through the merging of the two former families Sargassaceae and Cystoseiraceae. It is widely distributed in the world’s oceans, notably in tropical coastal regions, with the exception of the coasts of Antarctica and South America. Numerous bioactivities have been discovered through investigations of the chemical diversity of the Sargassaceae family. The secondary metabolites with unique structures found in this family have been classified as terpenoids, phlorotannins, and steroids, among others. These compounds have exhibited potent pharmacological activities. This review describes the new discovered compounds from Sargassaceae species and their associated bioactivities, citing 136 references covering from March 1975 to August 2023. Full article

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29 pages, 7518 KiB

Open AccessReview

Marine Streptomyces-Derived Novel Alkaloids Discovered in the Past Decade

by Zijun Liu, Wenyan Sun, Zhe Hu, Wei Wang and Huawei Zhang

Mar. Drugs 2024, 22(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/md22010051 - 22 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1527

Abstract

Natural alkaloids originating from actinomycetes and synthetic derivatives have always been among the important suppliers of small-molecule drugs. Among their biological sources, Streptomyces is the highest and most extensively researched genus. Marine-derived Streptomyces strains harbor unconventional metabolic pathways and have been demonstrated to be efficient producers of biologically active alkaloids; more than 60% of these compounds exhibit valuable activity such as antibacterial, antitumor, anti-inflammatory activities. This review comprehensively summarizes novel alkaloids produced by marine Streptomyces discovered in the past decade, focusing on their structural features, biological activity, and pharmacological mechanisms. Future perspectives on the discovery and development of novel alkaloids from marine Streptomyces are also provided. Full article

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Discovery of Marine Natural Products in China: Selected Papers from the 16th National Annual Conference and 2023 International Symposium on Marine Drugs (16-NASMD) Conference

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