Genome-Driven Discovery of Neuraminidase-Inhibiting and Antibacterial Chermsinols A and B: Orsellinic-Acid-Derived Steroid and Meroterpenoid from Marine-Sourced Penicillium chermesinum
Abstract
Two orsellinic acid (OA)-derived metabolites, chermsinols A and B ( 1 and 2 ), were isolated from the marine red alga-derived endophytic Penicillium chermesinum EN-480 based on its genomic analysis. Compound 1 is a steroid featuring an unprecedented 6/6/6/5/6/6 ring system, likely formed from a Diels–Alder reaction, while compound 2 is a meroterpenoid containing a unique ring-opened ketone chain derived from 3,5-dimethylorsellinic acid (DMOA) and possessing a continuous spiro system. Results from bioassays revealed that compound 1 exhibits inhibitory activity against influenza neuraminidase as well as antibacterial properties. The plausible biosynthetic pathways for 1 and 2 were proposed on the basis of the genomic data analysis of the producing fungus.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Microbial Natural Products and Biosynthesis
Steroid Chemistry and Biochemistry
Marine Sponges and Natural Products
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Organic Letters
- Publisher
- American Chemical Society (ACS)
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 23
- Pages
- 7480–7485
- Publication date
- 3 June 2026
- Language
- EN