1. Sesquiterpenes
Phenolic bisabolane sesquiterpenoids are among the main constituents reported from this fungus. They are a rare class of terpenes that have a p-alkylated benzene connected with 1C and 8C side chains at C-5 and C-2, respectively. Their structural variability is due to cyclization, reduction, or oxidation at various alkyl chain carbons to yield carboxylic acid, alcohol, lactone, double bond, pyran, and furan functionalities. Besides their fascinating skeletons, they show various bioactivities. It is noteworthy that most of the reported bisabolanes were separated from marine-derived A. sydowii as discussed below.
In 1978, Hamasaki and his group separated and characterized compounds
1 and
2 as optically inactive metabolites from
A. sydowii acetone extract by spectral and chemical means. These compounds were soluble in saturated NaHCO
3 and positively reacted with bromophenol blue
[11][1].
Figure 1.
Structures of sesquiterpenoids (
1
–
21
) reported from
A. sydowii.
Aspergillusene D (
16) with a 7
S-configuration was reported as a new sesquiterpenoid from
Phakellia fusca-associated
A. sydowii SCSIO-41301 by Liu et al., along with compounds
1,
5 8,
9,
10, and
22 that were characterized based on spectral and ECD (electronic circular dichroism) analyses
[35][2]. Xu et al. separated compound
17, along with compounds
1,
8, and
23, from
A. sydowii CUGB-F126 isolated from the Bohai Sea, Tianjin, using SiO
2 (silica gel)/Sephadex LH-20/HPLC (high-performance liquid chromatography). Compound
17 is a new sydonic acid analog with a glycinate moiety
[15][3].
Sun et al. developed a new approach that integrated computational programs (MS (mass spectrometry)-DIAL and MS-FINDER) and web-based tools (MetaboAnalyst and GNPS) for the identification of
A. sydowii–
Bacillus subtilis coculture metabolites, wherein 25 biosynthesized metabolites were detected and purified by SiO
2/ODS CC/HPLC. Among them, compounds
1,
2,
3, and
18–
21 were characterized by spectral and CD (circular dichroism) analyses
[58][4]. Further, Hu et al. separated and characterized new bisabolene-type sesquiterpenoids
24 and
25 as well as the known analogs
2 and
23 from
A. sydowii EN-434 obtained from
Symphyocladia latiuscula marine red alga using RP-18 (reversed phase-18)/SiO
2 CC (silica gel column chromatography) and spectral and ECD data. Compounds
24 and
25 have 7
S/8
S and 7
R*/10
R* configurations, respectively
[32][5]. Fourteen new phenolic bisabolanes with varied structures, labeled
28–
41, were separated and characterized by Niu et al. from the deep-sea sediment-derived
A. sydowii MCCC-3A00324 (
Figure 2).
Figure 2.
Structures of sesquiterpenoids (
22
–
41
) reported from
A. sydowii
.
Compounds
28 and 29 are the first bisabolanes with a 6/6/6 tricyclic skeleton, whereas compound
30 features a novel
seco-bisabolane with a rare dioxolane moiety, and compound
38 has an unusual methylsulfonyl moiety
[57][6]. Trisuwan et al. purified—from
A. sydowii PSUF154 isolated from gorgonian sea fan of genus
Annella—new bisabolane-type sesquiterpenes
4,
42, and
43, along with
1. Compound
42 has 2-substituted 6-methyl-2-heptenyl and 1,2,4-trisubstituted benzene. Compound
43‘s benzofuran moiety results from the ether linkage of C-1 OH of the tri-substituted phenyl and 2-substituted 6-methyl-2-heptenyl moieties. Compound
4 is a methyl ether of compound
1 with a 7
S configuration
[56][7]. The first phenolic bisabolane sesquiterpene glycoside,
β-D-glucopyranosyl aspergillusene A (
44), was purified from sponge-derived
A. sydowii [36][8] and assigned using spectral and chemical methods
[36][8].
Chung et al. stated that the addition of 5-azacytidine (a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor) to the culture of marine sediment-derived
A. sydowii obtained from Hsinchu, Taiwan, significantly promoted the production of various metabolites
[54][9]. Investigation of the EtOAc (ethyl acetate) extract of 5-azacytidine-treated culture broth by SiO
2 CC and HPLC yielded new bisabolane sesquiterpenoids
5,
46, and
47, along with
1,
42,
45, and
49, that were assigned based on spectral analyses. The S-configuration of compounds
5 and
46 was assigned using optical rotation comparison, whereas compound
46 ([α]D +1.87) is a methyl derivative of compound
45 ([α]D +7.2) and compound
5 ([α]D +3.9) is C-12 hydroxy analog of compound
1 ([α]D +23) (
Figure 3). On the other hand, compound
47 is closely similar to the previously reported compound
8 except for the absence of the C-3 carboxylic group in compound
47 [54][9]. Compounds
5,
46, and
47 were proposed to be biosynthesized from farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) created from the addition of an IPP (isopentenyl diphosphate) unit to a GPP (geranyl diphosphate) (
Scheme 1). Then, cyclization and folding of the carbon chain through an electrophilic attack on double bonds produced the bisabolane nucleus that then underwent a series of carboxylation, hydration, oxidation, and reduction to give compounds
5,
46, and
47 [54][9].
Scheme 1. Biosynthetic pathway of compounds
5,
46, and
47: GPP: Geranyl diphosphate; FPP: Farnesyl diphosphate; IPP: Isopentenyl diphosphate
[54][9].
Figure 3.
Structures of sesquiterpenoids (
42
–
58
) reported from
A. sydowii
.
A new bisabolane sesquiterpenoid, compound
15, in addition to compounds
1,
7,
6,
42,
47,
49,
50, and
52, were purified from
A. sydowii ZSDS1-F6 EtOAc extract using SiO
2/Sephadex LH-20/RP-HPLC by Wang et al.
[45][10]. Compound
51 is a new aromatic bisabolene-type sesquiterpenoid with 11S-configuration purified and characterized from the sea-derived
A. sydowii SW9
[41][11]. In 2022, Liu et al. purified a rare iodine- and sulfur-containing derivative (7
S)- 4-iodo-flavilane A (
54) along with compound
53. Compound
54 is 4-iodinated analog of compound
53 and its absolute S-configuration was proven by ECD analysis
[38][12]. Furthermore, three undescribed cuparene-type sesquiterpenes, labeled
56–
58, were isolated from fermented cultured EtOAc extract of the sea sediment-derived
A. sydowii MCCC-3A00324 using SiO
2/RP-18/Sephadex LH-20 CC/HPLC and assigned using spectral and ECD analyses. They represent rare cuparene-type sesquiterpenoids having a C-10 keto group and were discovered for the first time from filamentous fungi
[57][6].
2. Mono- and Triterpenoids and Sterols
In 2020, the chemical investigation of deep-sea sediment-isolated
A. sydowii MCCC-3A00324 by Niu et al. led to the separation of new osmane-type monoterpenoids aspermonoterpenoids A (
59) and B (
60) by SiO
2 CC/HPLC and their structures were determined by spectral, ECD, and specific rotation analyses (
Table 2,
Figure 4). Compounds
59 and
60 are the first osmane monoterpenes reported from fungi, whereas compound
59 features a novel skeleton, which is possibly derived after the cleavage of the cyclopentane ring and oxidation reaction of the osmane monoterpenoid. They have 4
S and 4
S/5
R/6
S configurations, respectively
[60][13].
Figure 4.
Structures of mono- (
59
and
60
) and triterpenoids (
61
and
62
) and sterols (
63
–
68
) reported from
A. sydowii.
Table 2.
Mono- and triterpenoids and sterols reported from
A. sydowii
(molecular weight and formulae, strain, host, and location).
126
) reported from
A. sydowii.
Acremolins are rare alkaloids with a 5/6/5 tricyclic core, possessing an imidazole moiety fused with a methyl guanine moiety. Interestingly, acremolins were reported from
Aspergillus species
Aspergillus sp. S-3-75 and SCSIO-Ind09F01 and
A. sydowii SP-1
[40,67][26][31]. From the Antarctic
A. sydowii SP-1, a new alkaloid acremolin C (
128) along with compound
110 were separated using SiO
2 CC/ODS/HPLC and characterized by spectral methods. Compound
128 is a regio-isomer of acremolin B previously reported by Tian et al. from the deep-sea-derived fungus
Aspergillus sp. SCSIO and has a isopropyl group at C-2′ instead of C-1′ (
Figure 10)
[40,67][26][31]. In 2022, Niu et al. purified and characterized, from the deep-sea-derived
A. sydowii MCCC-3A00324, a new acremolin alkaloid acremolin D (
129) along with compounds
110,
126,
127,
135, and
136 using SiO
2 CC/HPLC and spectral and ECD data. Compound
129 is closely related to compound
127 in that one CH
3 group in
127 has been replaced by an acetoxy methylene group
[65][27].
Figure 10.
Structures of alkaloids (
127
–
143
) reported from
A. sydowii.
New hetero-spirocyclic γ-lactam analogs azaspirofurans A (
132) and B (
133) were separated from the marine sediment-derived
A. sydowii D2-6 using SiO
2/Sephadex LH-20 CC and were characterized based on spectral and chemical evidence (
Figure 10). These compounds featured an ethyl furan ring linked to 1-oxa-7-azaspiro
[4,4][32][32]non2-ene-4,6-dione core
[43][29].
5. Phenyl Ether Derivatives
Phenyl ethers are a group of simple polyketides that are widely reported in various Aspergillus species and have shown significant bioactivities (Table 5).
Table 5.
Phenyl ether derivatives reported from
Aspergillus sydowii
(molecular weight and formulae, strain, host, and location).
These metabolites were proposed to be biosynthesized from a GPP that underwent subsequent hydrolysis/oxygenation/cyclization to yield the monocyclic osmane monoterpenoid ring. Then, carbon–carbon bond cleavage of osmane gives intermediate
I and its further oxygenation yields compound
59, whilst the osmane oxygenation forms compound
60 [60][13] (
Scheme 2).
Scheme 2.
Biosynthetic pathway of compounds
59
and
Zhang et al. purified and characterized compound
61, a new 29-nordammarane-type triterpenoid, in addition to its known analog, compound
62, from the marine-derived
A. sydowii PFW1-13
[48][14]. Compound
61 is structurally similar to compound
62 with a 1,1,2-trisubstituted ethanol unit instead of a trisubstituted ethenyl unit, suggesting that compound
61 is a C
24–C
25 hydrated derivative of compound
62 [48][14]. Its configuration was assigned as 4
S/5
S/6
S/8
S/9
S/10
R/13
R/14
S/16
S/17
Z based on comparing its optical rotation (−118.9) with that of compound
62 (optical rotation −105.1)
[48][14].
Wang et al., in 2019, reported the separation of ergosterol derivatives
63–
66 from deep-sea water-isolated
A. sydowii [55][15], while compounds
68 and
69 were separated by Li et al.; compound
69 was assumed to be a sterol degradation product
[44][16].
3. Xanthone and Anthraquinone Derivatives
Xanthones are commonly found in lichen, fungi, plants, and bacteria
[61][17]. In fungi, xanthones are mostly derived from acetyl-CoA through a series of polyketide synthase-catalyzed chemical transformations
[62][18]. These metabolites were found to demonstrate diverse bioactivities.
Compounds
69 and
71 were reported from the EtOAc extract of 5-azacytidine-treated
A. sydowii culture broth
[54][9]. Additionally, from liverwort
Scapania ciliate-accompanied
A. sydowii, new xanthone derivatives, labeled
72,
76, and
77, and known compounds
74 and
78 were isolated by SiO
2/Sephadex LH-20 CC/HPLC and assigned by spectral data. Compounds
76 and
77 are examples of sulfur-containing xanthones; compound
77 has an additional acetyl group at C-13 and compound
72 features C-2-OH instead of the methylthio moiety as in compound
76 [63][19]. New hydrogenated xanthones, aspergillusones A (
86) and B (
87), along with compounds
69,
71,
73,
88, and
90, were purified from a strain associated with the gorgonian sea fan of the genus
Annella by Trisuwan et al. Compound
86 is a 11-deoxy derivative of compound
88 with an optical rotation of −1.6 and the same C-7 and C-8 absolute configuration, whereas compound
87 is a 1-hydroxy analog of compound
90 with 7R/8R and −46.3 optical rotation (
Figure 5)
[56][7].
Figure 5.
Structures of xanthones (
69
–
80
) reported from
A. sydowii.
In 2019, Wang et al. purified two novel xanthones, labeled
70 and
79, along with the known xanthones
71,
72,
74,
86,
88, and
89 and quinones
91,
94, and
96, from seawater-derived
A. sydowii C1-S01-A7 using SiO
2/Sephadex LH-20/RP-18/HPLC; the compounds were elucidated by spectral analyses (
Table 3). Compound
79 is similar to previously reported 2-hydroxyvertixanthone with an additional formyl moiety at C-6, whereas compound
70 is similar to compound
69 with one more acetyl group at C-12
[55][15].
Table 3.
Xanthones and quinones reported from
Aspergillus sydowii
(molecular weight and formulae, strain, host, and location).
The cultured EtOAc extract of
A. sydowii SCSIO-41301 associated with
Phakellia fusca provided new xanthones
80 and
81. Compound
80 is related to versicone A with 3-OH instead of the isopentene group in versicone A, while compound
81 has an additional 6-OCH
3 group compared to compound
80 [35][2]. The new mycotoxin 6-methoxyl austocystin A (
83) and the related known compound
82 were isolated from
Verrucella umbraculum-associated
A. sydowii SCSIO-00305 (
Figure 6). Compound
83 is similar to compound
82 except for the presence of an additional C6-OCH
3. Their 1′R/2S configuration was assigned based on X-ray analysis
[24][21].
Figure 6.
Structures of xanthones (
81
–
90
) reported from
A. sydowii.
Additionally, compounds
92–
95 are anthraquinones reported by Liu et al. from a
Phakellia fusca-associated fungal strain
[35][2] (
Figure 7). Compounds
98 and
99 are quinone derivatives separated from
A. sydowii #2B associated with
Aricennia marina by Wang et al.
[64][23].
Figure 7.
Structures of quinones (
91
–
99
) reported from
A. sydowii.
4. Alkaloids
Alkaloids have drawn considerable attention because of their unique structural features and varied bioactivities. Interestingly, alkaloids belonging to various classes were reported from A. sydowii.
From the culture broth of coral
Verrucella umbraculum-accompanied
A. sydowii SCSIO-00305, using bio-guided fractionation, a new indole diketopiperazine member, cyclotryprostatin E (
101), and compounds
100,
102, and
117–
123 were purified using RP-18 CC/HPLC and characterized by spectral data interpretation
[31][24] (
Figure 8). Compound
101 is similar to compound
100 bar the replacement of the tri-substituted double bond in compound
100 with an oxygen-bonded quaternary carbon; compound
117 possesses indolyl, piperazinyl, and 1,2-disubstituted phenyl groups
[31][24].
Figure 8.
Structures of alkaloids (
100
–
117
) reported from
A. sydowii.
In 2008, Zheng et al. purified new diketopiperazines
103–
105 and a new oxaspiro [4.4]lactam-containing alkaloid, labeled
131, along with compounds
106–
109,
111,
112,
130, and
140–
143 from the EtOAc extract of
A. sydowii PFW1-13 isolated from driftwood sourced from Baishamen beach, Hainan, China, using SiO
2/Sephadex LH-20 CC/HPLC
[48][14]. The configurations of compounds
103–
105 and
131 were assigned based on NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) and CD spectral analyses, and the specific rotation was 3S/12S/18S for compound
103 and 9S/12S for compounds
104 and
105, while compound
131 was identified as a 14-nor-derivative of compound
130 with 5
S/8
S/9
R/10
S/11
S/12
Z configuration
[48][14].
Biosynthetically, compounds 103–105 were postulated to be generated through a mixed mevalonic acid/amino acid pathway. Compound 105 is generated from the oxidation of compound 107, which results from mevalonic acid, tryptophan, and alanine. A cyclo(Trp-Pro) is formed from proline and tryptophan and is further oxidized and methylated to produce ethoxylated cyclo(Trp-Pro). Then, the latter reacts with mevalonic acid to yield compound 104 and intermediate I. An intramolecular aldol reaction of intermediate I yields intermediate III, which is deoxygenated to produce compound 106. Additionally, the dehydrogenation of compound 106 gives compound 103 (Scheme 3).
Scheme 3.
Biosynthetic pathway of compounds
103
–
Kaur et al. separated a new diketopiperazine dimer WIN 64821 (
115) and the known compound
110 using SiO
2 CC and RP-HPLC from the CH
3OH/CH
3CN extract of
A. sydowii MSX-19583 obtained from spruce litter; the compounds were assigned by spectral and ECD analyses and Marfey’s Method (
Table 4). Compound
115 is structurally similar to the ditryptophenaline reported in various
Aspergillus species and derived from tryptophan and phenylalanine subunits
[33][25].
Table 4. Alkaloids reported from Aspergillus sydowii (molecular weight and formulae, strain, host, and location).
A new quinazolinone alkaloid, labeled
124, as well as related alkaloid
125 and triazole analog
134 were separated and characterized from the mycelia EtOAc extract of seawater-derived
A. sydowii SW9 using SiO
2/Rp-18/Sephadex LH-20 CC and spectral analyses (
Figure 9). Compound
124 is an acetyl derivative of 2-(4-hydroxybenzyl)quinazolin-4(3
H)-one, previously reported from
Cordyceps-associated
Isaria farinose [41,66][11][30].
Figure 9.
Structures of quinazoline alkaloids (
118
–
A new biphenyl ether derivative diorcinolic acid (
148) together with compounds
144–
147,
152, and
153 were separated from marine sponge
Stelletta sp.-associated
A. sydowii (
Figure 11). Compound
149 featured two ether-linked 1,3-dioxy-6-carboxy-5-methylphenyl units. It was assigned as dicarboxylated diorcinol (carboxylated orcinol‘s ether-linked dimer)
[36][8]. Bioassay-guided separation of the East China Sea sediment-derived
A. sydowii MF357 yielded new tris-pyrogallol ethers sydowiols A–C (
166–
168) and related bis-pyrogallol ethers
144 and
145 that were characterized based on detailed spectral analysis and symmetry considerations
[37][33]. On the other hand, the LC–UV–MS-guided separation of EtOAc extract of China Sea-derived
A. sydowii resulted in new diphenyl ethers
155–
157 and
159–
161 along with compounds
146,
147,
149,
150,
152, and
162–
164 using SiO
2/Sephadex LH-20 CC/HPLC; the compounds were assigned using spectral and chemical methods. Compounds
155 and
156 are rare glycosides, possessing a D-ribose moiety, whereas compound
157 has a D-glucose moiety
[9][34].
Figure 11.
Structures of phenyl ether derivatives (
144
–
157
) reported from
A. sydowii.
From cold seep-derived
A. sydowii 10–31, bisviolaceol II (
165), a new tetraphenyl ether derivative, was isolated and characterized by Liu et al. using SiO
2/Sephadex LH-20 CC/HPLC and spectral tools, respectively
[38][12] (
Figure 12).
Figure 12.
Structures of phenyl ether derivatives (
158
–
168
) reported from
A. sydowii.