Six previously undescribed spiromeroterpenoids, chermesins I-N (1-6), were isolated and identified from the marine-sourced fungus Penicillium chermesinum AS-400. Their structures were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectroscopic data, and the relative and absolute configurations were confirmed based on nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopic experiments, electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations and X-ray crystallographic analysis, and by comparisons of ECD Cotton effects with those of known congeners as well. Structurally, compound 1 represents the first example of spiromeroterpenoid demethylated at C-4. The isolated compounds exhibited inhibitory activities against several aquatic and human pathogenic bacteria with MIC values ranging from 4 to 64 μg/mL.
Keywords: Antibacterial activity; Aspergillaceae; Chiton; Marine endozoic fungus; Penicillium chermesinum; Spiromeroterpenoids.
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