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Enantiodivergence in the Biosynthesis of Bromotyrosine Alkaloids from Sponges?
Kavita Ragini1, Jane Fromont2, Andrew M Piggott1
1Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia.
Abstract:
The isolation of bromotyrosine alkaloids, some of which are enantiomers of previously isolated compounds, has highlighted a possible enantiodivergence in their biosynthesis. Two new (1, 2) and six known bromotyrosine alkaloids (4-9), and the enantiomer (10) of a known compound, have been isolated from a Western Australian marine sponge, Pseudoceratina cf. verrucosa. The compounds inhibited the growth of multidrug-resistant and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus with comparable activity to vancomycin. In addition, one possible artifact of extraction (3) containing an ethoxy group was isolated. From analysis of the known bromotyrosine alkaloids, a biogenesis is proposed that explains the formation of antipodal natural products within this family of sponges.
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