Structures, biosynthesis, and bioactivities of prodiginine natural products

Prodiginines are a large family of microbial secondary metabolites with a core structure of tripyrrole rings. They exhibit not only diverse chemical structures but also rich biological activities, such as anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-algae, anti-parasitic, pesticides, and UV radiation resistance. The preferred cytotoxicity to cancer cells rather than normal cells indicates a good biological selectivity and safety, which makes the prodiginines promising candidates for drug development and novel additives for food processing. Until now, 33 prodiginine natural products have been identified in various bacteria, including Serratia, Hahella, Pseudoalteromonas, Vibrio, Zooshikella, Streptomyces, and Actinomadura. However, most efforts are still focused on the star molecule prodigiosin, while little yet is known about other prodiginine members, which retards the research and application of prodiginine compounds. To gain insight into the prodiginine family, we reviewed the recent discoveries on their chemical structures, biosynthesis, biological activities, and mechanisms of action. We believe this article will provide a guideline for new research on prodiginines, such as the discovery of new congeners and drug development. KEY POINTS: • The prodiginines are a large family of natural products with a core structure of tripyrrole rings and exhibit various bioactivities. • The prodiginines have a widespread distribution among many environmental microbes and diverse biosynthetic pathways, indicating important ecological roles and a great potential for new congeners. • The potent biological activities and good selectivity of action make prodiginines good lead compounds for drug development.