Metabolites from Australian marine microbes

Marine microorganisms have attracted considerable attention as an attractive source of new chemical diversity, capable of reinvigorating biodiscovery research and drug discovery [1]. For example, the genome of Salinospora tropica has recently been analysed and revealed a high concentration (9.9%) of secondary metabolite gene clusters, many of which were silent [2]. In recognition of this potential we have acquired a marine-isolate library, from shallow coastal sediments, with a view to investigating the metabolites produced by these organisms. In the first 12 months of this study we have isolated 219 actinomycetes (including several Salinospora sp) and 31 fungi, and have discovered numerous examples of both known and new metabolites belonging to a wide array of biosynthetic structure classes. Including among these discoveries are the new fungal metabolites CMB-M0231F-A and CMB-M0231F-C, and the new actinomycetes metabolite CMB-M0150-A. This presentation will detail the diversity of chemistry encountered, and include evidence for the identification of several new marine microbial natural products.

CMB-M0231F-A

CMB-M0231F-C

CMB-M0150-A

References: 1. Zhang L., Demain AL. (2005) Natural Products: Drug Discovery and Therapeutic Medicine, Humana Press, New Jersey, USA

2. Udwary, DW. et al. (2007) Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 104:10376–81.