Targeted Discovery and Characterization of Type‐II PKS‐NRPS Hybrid DNA‐Alkylating Antibiotics

Q Qiu‐Yue Nie (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China) S Shi‐Qi Fang (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China) L Lian Wu R Ruo‐Qin Gao (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China) Y Yu Hu D Dian Ding (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China) H Hai‐Xue Pan (Key Laboratory of Glyco‐drug Research of Zhejiang Province School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou China) Z Zeng‐Fei Pei (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China) J Jun‐Bin He (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China) Q Qiang Zhou Z Zi‐Hui Chen (Key Laboratory of Glyco‐drug Research of Zhejiang Province School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou China) X Xian‐Feng Hou (State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China) X Xin‐Qing Zhao (State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China) G Gong‐Li Tang (Key Laboratory of Glyco‐drug Research of Zhejiang Province School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou China)

Abstract

Abstract DNA alkylating natural products usually exhibit diverse bioactivity and serve as a crucial source of drug leads. Here, we employed genome mining guided by HTH‐42 superfamily resistance gene to precisely discover a new class of DNA‐alkylating antibiotics, xinghaicarcins, from Streptomyces xinghaiensis . They possess an intricate spiro‐epoxide‐bearing spiroketal heptacyclic scaffold fused with a pipecolic acid, assembled by a type II polyketide synthase–nonribosomal peptide synthetase hybrid system. An aminotransferase XhnB1 and a methyltransferase XhnM are identified to catalyze the formation of N‐methylated pipecolic acid building block, leading to the completion of the polyketide–peptide backbone. The identification of XhnM facilitated stereochemical determination of six chiral centers in xinghaicarcins by co‐crystallization. Notably, xinghaicarcins exhibit potent antibacterial activity against drug‐resistant pathogens and cytotoxicity against multiple cancer cell lines. Additionally, the HTH‐42 superfamily resistant protein, XhnU2, was characterized to mitigate xinghaicarcin‐induced genotoxicity. This work provides comprehensive insights into structure, biosynthesis, bioactivity, and self‐resistance mechanisms of xinghaicarcins, expanding diversity of DNA alkylating natural products.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 64, Issue 39
Published September 22, 2025
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (14)

Q

Qiu‐Yue Nie

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China

S

Shi‐Qi Fang

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China

L

Lian Wu

R

Ruo‐Qin Gao

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China

Y

Yu Hu

D

Dian Ding

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China

H

Hai‐Xue Pan

Key Laboratory of Glyco‐drug Research of Zhejiang Province School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou China

Z

Zeng‐Fei Pei

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China

J

Jun‐Bin He

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China

Q

Qiang Zhou

Z

Zi‐Hui Chen

Key Laboratory of Glyco‐drug Research of Zhejiang Province School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou China

X

Xian‐Feng Hou

State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Chinese Academy of Sciences Shanghai 200032 China

X

Xin‐Qing Zhao

State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200240 China

G

Gong‐Li Tang

Key Laboratory of Glyco‐drug Research of Zhejiang Province School of Chemistry and Materials Science Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Hangzhou China