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Isolation, Analysis and Origin of Bioactive Diterpenes in Pseudopterogorgia acerosa.

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Date Issued:
2008
Summary:
Nature has served human kind m many ways, one of which is a source of medicines. Natural products from marine sources represent a relatively new area of research and have shown tremendous potential as a source of new chemical entities in drug discovery. Caribbean gorgomans corals of the genus Pseudopterogorgia have been shown to produce a variety of chemically interesting and biologically significant secondary metabolites. ln this dissertation, the Caribbean coral Pseudopterogorgia acerosa has been investigated for the presence of novel diterpenes and these compounds were found to belong to three different classes: pseudopteranoids, bis-pseudopteranoids and lipidyl pseudopteranes. Nine of these were new compounds. The structural elucidation of these compounds was performed using spectroscopic means such as l D and 20 NMR, and mass spectroscopy. There is growing evidence that secondary metabolites isolated from manne invertebrates may actually be produced by a bacterial symbiont. The research studies in our laboratory regarding the source of diterpenes in the selected gorgonian corals suggested a bacterial origin. The hypothesis that coral associated bacteria are the source of diterpenes in the coral P. acerosa, was evaluated using the series of experiments and evidence supported this biosynthetic origin. A study comparing the "gall" tissue and healthy coral tissue in terms of diterpene content and culturable bacterial communities showed that different groups of diterpenes were concentrated in different coral tissue types. It was also observed that the bacterial populations associated with the "gall" and healthy tissues were considerably different. Furthermore, observed specificity in antimicrobial activity of certain groups of compounds against bacteria isolated from the same coral suggested the ecological role of these compounds. This work with "gall" tissue supports the hypothesis that diseased coral tissue represents an excellent source of bioactive natural products for drug discovery. Additionaly, a simple LC-MS method was developed for the analysis of anticancer drug carmustine in plasma.
Title: Isolation, Analysis and Origin of Bioactive Diterpenes in Pseudopterogorgia acerosa.
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Name(s): Kate, Abhijeet S.
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
Kerr, Russell G., Thesis advisor
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2008
Date Issued: 2008
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 307 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Nature has served human kind m many ways, one of which is a source of medicines. Natural products from marine sources represent a relatively new area of research and have shown tremendous potential as a source of new chemical entities in drug discovery. Caribbean gorgomans corals of the genus Pseudopterogorgia have been shown to produce a variety of chemically interesting and biologically significant secondary metabolites. ln this dissertation, the Caribbean coral Pseudopterogorgia acerosa has been investigated for the presence of novel diterpenes and these compounds were found to belong to three different classes: pseudopteranoids, bis-pseudopteranoids and lipidyl pseudopteranes. Nine of these were new compounds. The structural elucidation of these compounds was performed using spectroscopic means such as l D and 20 NMR, and mass spectroscopy. There is growing evidence that secondary metabolites isolated from manne invertebrates may actually be produced by a bacterial symbiont. The research studies in our laboratory regarding the source of diterpenes in the selected gorgonian corals suggested a bacterial origin. The hypothesis that coral associated bacteria are the source of diterpenes in the coral P. acerosa, was evaluated using the series of experiments and evidence supported this biosynthetic origin. A study comparing the "gall" tissue and healthy coral tissue in terms of diterpene content and culturable bacterial communities showed that different groups of diterpenes were concentrated in different coral tissue types. It was also observed that the bacterial populations associated with the "gall" and healthy tissues were considerably different. Furthermore, observed specificity in antimicrobial activity of certain groups of compounds against bacteria isolated from the same coral suggested the ecological role of these compounds. This work with "gall" tissue supports the hypothesis that diseased coral tissue represents an excellent source of bioactive natural products for drug discovery. Additionaly, a simple LC-MS method was developed for the analysis of anticancer drug carmustine in plasma.
Identifier: FA00000864 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Charles E. Schmidt College of Science
Subject(s): Marine pharmacology
Coral reef ecology--Caribbean Area
Natural products--Synthesis
Held by: Florida Atlantic University Libraries
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00000864
Sublocation: Digital Library
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.