Exploring the potential of Aspergillus wentii: secondary metabolites and biological properties

Fungi are of considerable importance due to their capacity to biosynthesize various secondary metabolites with bioactive properties that draw high attention in new drug discovery with beneficial uses for improving human well-being and life quality. Aspergillus genus members are widespread and cosmopolitan species with varying economic significance in the fields of industry, medicine, and agriculture. Its species are renowned for their biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, characterized by both potent biological activity and structural novelty, making them a substantial reservoir for the development of new pharmaceuticals. The current work aimed at focusing on one species of this genus, Aspergillus wentii Wehmer, including its reported secondary metabolites in the period from 1951 to November 2023. A total of 97 compounds, including nitro-compounds, terpenoids, anthraquinones, xanthones, benzamides, and glucans. A summary of their bioactivities, as well as their biosynthesis was highlighted. Additionally, the reported applications of this fungus and its enzymes have been discussed. This review offers a useful reference that can direct future research into this fungus and its active metabolites, as well as their possible pharmacological and biotechnological applications.

Design of new Mcl-1 inhibitors for cancer using fragments hybridization, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics studies

Apoptosis is a critical process that regulates cell survival and death and plays an essential role in cancer development. The Bcl-2 protein family, including myeloid leukemia 1 (Mcl-1), is a key regulator of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, and its overexpression in many human cancers has prompted efforts to develop Mcl-1 inhibitors as potential anticancer agents. In this study, we aimed to design new Mcl-1 inhibitors using various computational techniques. First, we used the Mcl-1 receptor-ligand complex to build an e-pharmacophore hypothesis and screened a library of 567,000 fragments from the Enamine database. We obtained 410 fragments and used them to design 92,384 novel compounds, which we then docked into the Mcl-1 binding cavity using HTVS, SP, and XP docking modes of Glide. To assess their suitability as drug candidates, we conducted MM-GBSA calculations and ADME prediction, leading to the identification of 10 compounds with excellent binding affinity and favorable pharmacokinetic properties. To further investigate the interaction strength, we performed molecular dynamics simulations on the top three Mcl-1 receptor-ligand complexes to study their interaction stability. Overall, our findings suggest that these compounds have promising potential as anticancer agents, pending further experimental validation such as Mcl-1 apoptosis Assay. By combining experimental methods with various in silico approaches, these techniques prove to be invaluable for identifying novel drug candidates with distinct therapeutic applications using fragment-based drug design. This methodology has the potential to expedite the drug discovery process while also reducing its costs.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Marine-Derived Compounds for CDK5 Inhibition in Cancer: Integrating Multi-Stage Virtual Screening, MM/GBSA Analysis and Molecular Dynamics Investigations

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) plays a crucial role in various biological processes, including immune response, insulin secretion regulation, apoptosis, DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) damage response, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration and invasion, angiogenesis, and myogenesis. Overactivation of CDK5 is associated with the initiation and progression of cancer. Inhibiting CDK5 has shown potential in suppressing cancer development. Despite advancements in CDK5-targeted inhibitor research, the range of compounds available for clinical and preclinical trials remains limited. The marine environment has emerged as a prolific source of diverse natural products with noteworthy biological activities, including anti-cancer properties. In this study, we screened a library of 47,450 marine natural compounds from the comprehensive marine natural product database (CMNPD) to assess their binding affinity with CDK5. Marine compounds demonstrating superior binding affinity compared to a reference compound were identified through high-throughput virtual screening, standard precision and extra-precision Glide docking modes. Refinement of the selected molecules involved evaluating molecular mechanics-generalized born surface area (MM/GBSA) free binding energy. The three most promising compounds, (excoecariphenol B, excoecariphenol A, and zyzzyanone B), along with the reference, exhibiting favorable binding characteristics were chosen for molecular dynamics (MD) simulations for 200 nanoseconds. These compounds demonstrated interaction stability with the target during MD simulations. The marine compounds identified in this study hold potential as effective CDK5 inhibitors and warrant subsequent experimental validation.

Exploring marine-derived compounds for MET signalling pathway inhibition in cancer: integrating virtual screening, ADME profiling and molecular dynamics investigations

The MET signalling pathway regulates fundamental cellular processes such as growth, division, and survival. While essential for normal cell function, dysregulation of this pathway can contribute to cancer by triggering uncontrolled proliferation and metastasis. Targeting MET activity holds promise as an effective strategy for cancer therapy. Among potential sources of anti-cancer agents, marine organisms have gained attention. In this study, we screened 47,450 natural compounds derived from marine sources within the CMNPD database against the Met crystal structure. By employing HTVS, SP, and XP docking modes, we identified three compounds (CMNPD17595, CMNPD14026, and CMNPD19696) that outperformed a reference molecule in binding affinity to the Met structure. These compounds demonstrated desirable ADME properties. Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations for 200 ns confirmed the stability of their interactions with Met. Our findings highlight CMNPD17595, CMNPD14026, and CMNPD19696 as potential inhibitors against Met-dependent cancers. Additionally, these compounds offer new avenues for drug development, leveraging their inhibitory effects on Met to combat carcinogenesis.

Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Studies Reveal the Anticancer Potential of Medicinal-Plant-Derived Lignans as MDM2-P53 Interaction Inhibitors

The interaction between the tumor suppressor protein p53 and its negative regulator, the MDM2 oncogenic protein, has gained significant attention in cancer drug discovery. In this study, 120 lignans reported from Ferula sinkiangensis and Justicia procumbens were assessed for docking simulations on the active pocket of the MDM2 crystal structure bound to Nutlin-3a. The docking analysis identified nine compounds with higher docking scores than the co-crystallized reference. Subsequent AMDET profiling revealed satisfactory pharmacokinetic and safety parameters for these natural products. Three compounds, namely, justin A, 6-hydroxy justicidin A, and 6'-hydroxy justicidin B, were selected for further investigation due to their strong binding affinities of -7.526 kcal/mol, -7.438 kcal/mol, and -7.240 kcal/mol, respectively, which surpassed the binding affinity of the reference inhibitor Nutlin-3a (-6.830 kcal/mol). To assess the stability and reliability of the binding of the candidate hits, a molecular dynamics simulation was performed over a duration of 100 ns. Remarkably, the thorough analysis demonstrated that all the hits exhibited stable molecular dynamics profiles. Based on their effective binding to MDM2, favorable pharmacokinetic properties, and molecular dynamics behavior, these compounds represent a promising starting point for further refinement. Nevertheless, it is essential to synthesize the suggested compounds and evaluate their activity through in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Secondary Metabolites, Biological Activities, and Industrial and Biotechnological Importance of Aspergillus sydowii

Marine-derived fungi are renowned as a source of astonishingly significant and synthetically appealing metabolites that are proven as new lead chemicals for chemical, pharmaceutical, and agricultural fields. Aspergillus sydowii is a saprotrophic, ubiquitous, and halophilic fungus that is commonly found in different marine ecosystems. This fungus can cause aspergillosis in sea fan corals leading to sea fan mortality with subsequent changes in coral community structure. Interestingly, A. sydowi is a prolific source of distinct and structurally varied metabolites such as alkaloids, xanthones, terpenes, anthraquinones, sterols, diphenyl ethers, pyrones, cyclopentenones, and polyketides with a range of bioactivities. A. sydowii has capacity to produce various enzymes with marked industrial and biotechnological potential, including α-amylases, lipases, xylanases, cellulases, keratinases, and tannases. Also, this fungus has the capacity for bioremediation as well as the biocatalysis of various chemical reactions. The current work aimed at focusing on the bright side of this fungus. In this review, published studies on isolated metabolites from A. sydowii, including their structures, biological functions, and biosynthesis, as well as the biotechnological and industrial significance of this fungus, were highlighted. More than 245 compounds were described in the current review with 134 references published within the period from 1975 to June 2023.