Calcaripeptides A-C, cyclodepsipeptides from a Calcarisporium strain

The isolation and structure elucidation of the novel calcaripeptides A (1), B (2), and C (3) and studies on their biosynthetic origin are described. The calcaripeptides were identified from Calcarisporium sp. strain KF525, which was isolated from the German Wadden Sea. Compounds 1-3 are macrocyclic structures composed of a proline and a phenylalanine residue as well as a nonpeptidic substructure. Structure elucidation was achieved by applying one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy supported by high-resolution mass spectrometry. X-ray crystallography was performed to determine the relative configuration of 1. The absolute configuration of 1 was assigned by HPLC of the amino acids after hydrolysis of the molecule and derivatization with chiral agents. Studies on the biosynthesis by feeding ¹³C-labeled substrates revealed that the nonpeptidic part of 1 originates from acetate and l-methionine. The involvement of a hybrid between a polyketide synthase and a nonribosomal peptide synthetase in the biosynthesis of the calcaripeptides is discussed.