Cyclic peptides and depsipeptides from cyanobacteria: a review

Area of Science:

• Marine Natural Products Chemistry
• Biotechnology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Cyanobacteria synthesize diverse cyclic peptides and depsipeptides.
• Some cyanobacterial compounds share structural similarities with marine invertebrate natural products.
• While many serve as research tools, a subset exhibits commercial potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the potential of cyanobacterial cyclic peptides and depsipeptides as therapeutic agents.
• To identify specific compounds with promising biological activities for commercial development.
• To highlight novel structures and their applications in medicine and agriculture.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of known cyanobacterial cyclic peptides and depsipeptides.
• Analysis of structure-activity relationships for selected compounds.
• Evaluation of biological activities, including anticancer and antifungal properties.

Main Results:

• Cryptophycin-1, from Nostoc sp GSV 224, is a potent microtubule assembly inhibitor with broad-spectrum anticancer activity against solid tumors in mice, including multidrug-resistant types.
• Majusculamide C, from Lyngbya majuscula, effectively depolymerizes microfilaments and demonstrates strong fungicidal activity.
• These findings suggest significant therapeutic potential for these natural products.

Conclusions:

• Cyanobacteria are a rich source of structurally novel and biologically active cyclic peptides and depsipeptides.
• Cryptophycin-1 and Majusculamide C represent promising leads for the development of new anticancer and antifungal treatments.
• Further research into these compounds could yield valuable commercial products for human health and agriculture.