Structure Determination and Total Synthesis of a Novel Antibacterial Substance, AB0022A, Produced by a Cellular Slime Mold

Abstract

A novel antibacterial substance, AB0022A, was isolated from the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium purpureum K1001. It inhibited the growth of Gram-positive bacteria, and its MICs ranged from 0.39 to 50 μg/ml. Because AB0022A was a highly substituted aromatic compound, we could not determine its structure based on only its physico-chemical and spectral data. We therefore used a dehalogenated derivative from AB0022A and deduced that its structure was l, 9-dihydroxy-3, 7-dimethoxy-2-hexanoyl-4, 6, 8-trichlorodibenzofuran. To confirm this structure, we synthesized the compound having the deduced structure. The synthetic compound was identical to naturally occurring AB0022A.