Hygrocins C-G, cytotoxic naphthoquinone ansamycins from gdmAI-disrupted Streptomyces sp. LZ35.

Six hygrocins, polyketides of ansamycin class, were isolated from the gdmAI-disrupted Streptomyces sp. LZ35. The planar structure of hygrocins C–E (1–3) was determined by one-dimensional and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. They are derivatives of hygrocin A but differ in the configuration at C-2 and the orientation of the C-3,4 double bond. Hygrocin F(4) and G(5) were shown to be isomers of hygrocin C (1) and B (6), respectively, due to the different alkyl oxygen participating in the macrolide ester linkage. Hygrocins C, D, and F were found to be toxic to human breast cancer MDA-MB-431 cells (IC50 = 0.5, 3.0, and 3.3 μM, respectively) and prostate cancer PC3 cells (IC50 = 1.9, 5.0, and 4.5 μM, respectively), while hygrocins B, E, and G were inactive.