Isolation of Coralmycins A and B, Potent Anti-Gram Negative Compounds from the Myxobacteria Corallococcus coralloides M23

Two new potent anti-Gram negative compounds, coralmycins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from cultures of the myxobacteria Corallococcus coralloides M23, together with another derivative (3) that was identified as the very recently reported cystobactamid 919-2. Their structures including the relative stereochemistry were elucidated by interpretation of spectroscopic, optical rotation, and CD data. The relative stereochemistry of 3 was revised to S*R* NMR analysis. The antibacterial activity of 1 was most potent against Gram-negative pathogens, including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumanii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. with MICs of 0.1-4 mu g/mL; these MICs were 4-10 and 40-100 times stronger than the antibacterial activities of 3 and 2, respectively. Thus, these data indicated that the beta-methoxyasparagine unit and the hydroxy group of the benzoic acid unit were critical for antibacterial activity.