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Nguyen KU, Zhang Y, Liu Q, Zhang R, Jin X, Taniguchi M, Miller ES, Lindsey JS. Tolyporphins-Exotic Tetrapyrrole Pigments in a Cyanobacterium-A Review. Molecules 2023; 28:6132. [PMID: 37630384 PMCID: PMC10459692 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28166132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Tolyporphins were discovered some 30 years ago as part of a global search for antineoplastic compounds from cyanobacteria. To date, the culture HT-58-2, comprised of a cyanobacterium-microbial consortium, is the sole known producer of tolyporphins. Eighteen tolyporphins are now known-each is a free base tetrapyrrole macrocycle with a dioxobacteriochlorin (14), oxochlorin (3), or porphyrin (1) chromophore. Each compound displays two, three, or four open β-pyrrole positions and two, one, or zero appended C-glycoside (or -OH or -OAc) groups, respectively; the appended groups form part of a geminal disubstitution motif flanking the oxo moiety in the pyrroline ring. The distinct structures and repertoire of tolyporphins stand alone in the large pigments-of-life family. Efforts to understand the cyanobacterial origin, biosynthetic pathways, structural diversity, physiological roles, and potential pharmacological properties of tolyporphins have attracted a broad spectrum of researchers from diverse scientific areas. The identification of putative biosynthetic gene clusters in the HT-58-2 cyanobacterial genome and accompanying studies suggest a new biosynthetic paradigm in the tetrapyrrole arena. The present review provides a comprehensive treatment of the rich science concerning tolyporphins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy-Uyen Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (K.-U.N.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.); (R.Z.); (X.J.); (M.T.)
| | - Yunlong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (K.-U.N.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.); (R.Z.); (X.J.); (M.T.)
| | - Qihui Liu
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (K.-U.N.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.); (R.Z.); (X.J.); (M.T.)
| | - Ran Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (K.-U.N.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.); (R.Z.); (X.J.); (M.T.)
| | - Xiaohe Jin
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (K.-U.N.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.); (R.Z.); (X.J.); (M.T.)
| | - Masahiko Taniguchi
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (K.-U.N.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.); (R.Z.); (X.J.); (M.T.)
| | - Eric S. Miller
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7612, USA;
| | - Jonathan S. Lindsey
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (K.-U.N.); (Y.Z.); (Q.L.); (R.Z.); (X.J.); (M.T.)
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Wu Z, Dou J, Nguyen KU, Eppley JC, Siwawannapong K, Zhang Y, Lindsey JS. Tailoring the AIE Chromogen 2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole for Use in Enzyme-Triggered Molecular Brachytherapy. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27248682. [PMID: 36557815 PMCID: PMC9786593 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27248682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A targeted strategy for treating cancer is antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy, where the enzyme attached to the antibody causes conversion of an inactive small-molecule prodrug into an active drug. A limitation may be the diffusion of the active drug away from the antibody target site. A related strategy with radiotherapeutics entails enzymatically promoted conversion of a soluble to insoluble radiotherapeutic agent, thereby immobilizing the latter at the target site. Such a molecular brachytherapy has been scarcely investigated. In distinct research, the advent of molecular designs for aggregation-induced emission (AIE) suggests translational use in molecular brachytherapy. Here, several 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole substrates that readily aggregate in aqueous solution (and afford AIE) were elaborated in this regard. In particular, (1) the 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl) unit was derivatized to bear a pegylated phosphodiester that imparts water solubility yet undergoes enzymatic cleavage, and (2) a p-phenol unit was attached to the benzo moiety to provide a reactive site for final-step iodination (here examined with natural abundance iodide). The pegylated phosphodiester-iodinated benzothiazole undergoes conversion from aqueous-soluble to aqueous-insoluble upon treatment with a phosphatase or phosphodiesterase. The aggregation is essential to molecular brachytherapy, whereas the induced emission of AIE is not essential but provides a convenient basis for research development. Altogether, 21 compounds were synthesized (18 new, 3 known via new routes). Taken together, blending biomedical strategies of enzyme prodrug therapy with materials chemistry concerning substances that undergo AIE may comprise a step forward on the long road toward molecular brachytherapy.
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Jin X, Zhang Y, Zhang R, Nguyen KU, Lindsey JS, Miller ES. Identification of Putative Biosynthetic Gene Clusters for Tolyporphins in Multiple Filamentous Cyanobacteria. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:758. [PMID: 34440502 PMCID: PMC8401325 DOI: 10.3390/life11080758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Tolyporphins A-R are unusual tetrapyrrole macrocycles produced by the non-axenic filamentous cyanobacterium HT-58-2. A putative biosynthetic gene cluster for biosynthesis of tolyporphins (here termed BGC-1) was previously identified in the genome of HT-58-2. Here, homology searching of BGC-1 in HT-58-2 led to identification of similar BGCs in seven other filamentous cyanobacteria, including strains Nostoc sp. 106C, Nostoc sp. RF31YmG, Nostoc sp. FACHB-892, Brasilonema octagenarum UFV-OR1, Brasilonema octagenarum UFV-E1, Brasilonema sennae CENA114 and Oculatella sp. LEGE 06141, suggesting their potential for tolyporphins production. A similar gene cluster (BGC-2) also was identified unexpectedly in HT-58-2. Tolyporphins BGCs were not identified in unicellular cyanobacteria. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and a common component of the BGCs, TolD, points to a close evolutionary history between each strain and their respective tolyporphins BGC. Though identified with putative tolyporphins BGCs, examination of pigments extracted from three cyanobacteria has not revealed the presence of tolyporphins. Overall, the identification of BGCs and potential producers of tolyporphins presents a collection of candidate cyanobacteria for genetic and biochemical analysis pertaining to these unusual tetrapyrrole macrocycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohe Jin
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (R.Z.); (K.-U.N.)
| | - Yunlong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (R.Z.); (K.-U.N.)
| | - Ran Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (R.Z.); (K.-U.N.)
| | - Kathy-Uyen Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (R.Z.); (K.-U.N.)
| | - Jonathan S. Lindsey
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8204, USA; (X.J.); (Y.Z.); (R.Z.); (K.-U.N.)
| | - Eric S. Miller
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-7615, USA
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Nguyen KU, Zhang R, Taniguchi M, Lindsey JS. Fluorescence Assay for Tolyporphins Amidst Abundant Chlorophyll in Crude Cyanobacterial Extracts. Photochem Photobiol 2021; 97:1507-1515. [PMID: 34152600 DOI: 10.1111/php.13474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Tolyporphins are distinctive tetrapyrrole natural products found singularly in a filamentous cyanobacterial-microbial holobiont (termed HT-58-2) from Micronesia. The absorption and fluorescence features of tolyporphins resemble those of chlorophyll a, complicating direct analysis of culture samples. Treatment of the crude (unfractionated) organic extract (CH2 Cl2 /2-propanol, 1:1) of HT-58-2 cultures with NaBH4 in methanol causes reduction of the peripheral ketone auxochromes, whereupon tolyporphins (predominantly 7,17-dioxobacteriochlorins) exhibit a bathochromic shift (λabs ~ 676 → ~ 700 nm) and chlorophyll a (a 131 -oxochlorin) exhibits a hypsochromic shift (λabs 665 → 634 nm). Fluorescence excitation spectroscopy (at 368 and 491 nm with λem 710 nm) enabled detection of reduced tolyporphins amidst abundant reduced chlorophyll a (1:19 ratio), a detection sensitivity >5 times that without reduction. The resulting assay combines simple sample preparation from non-axenic cultures at microscale quantities (2 mL, 2 μm), absence of any fractionation procedures, and fluorescence detection. Tolyporphins were readily detected in cultures of HT-58-2 at reasonable growth periods in the absence of environmental stressors, which was not possible previously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathy-Uyen Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
| | - Ran Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
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Zhang Y, Wu Z, Takashima I, Nguyen KU, Matsumoto N, Lindsey JS. Engineering of an archaeal phosphodiesterase to trigger aggregation-induced emission (AIE) of synthetic substrates. NEW J CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0nj03208e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Aggregation-induced emission (AIE) probes that can be triggered by enzymatic activity are valuable for applications across the life sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Zhang
- Department of Chemistry
- North Carolina State University
- Raleigh
- USA
| | - Zhiyuan Wu
- Department of Chemistry
- North Carolina State University
- Raleigh
- USA
| | - Ippei Takashima
- Department of Chemistry
- North Carolina State University
- Raleigh
- USA
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Abstract
Pulmonary granuloma is a common lesion for which gram-negative bacteria are rarely implicated as a cause. Hence, most physicians are unaware of this etiology. We isolated a gram-negative bacterium from a surgically resected pulmonary granuloma in a 42-year-old, nonimmunocompromised woman. Within the necrotizing granuloma, numerous organisms also were demonstrated by Gram stain, suggesting a cause-disease relationship. Characterization of the bacterium by sequence analysis of the 16S ribosomal gene, cellular fatty acid profiling, and microbiologic studies revealed a novel bacterium with a close relationship to Pseudomonas. We propose a new species for the bacterium, Pseudomonas andersonii. These results suggest that the differential diagnosis of a lung granuloma also should include this gram-negative bacterium as a potential causative agent, in addition to the more common infections caused by acid-fast bacilli and fungi. This bacterium was shown to be susceptible to most antibiotics that are active against gram-negative bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- X Y Han
- Dept of Laboratory Medicine, Box 84, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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