Biosynthesis of an anti-tuberculosis sesterterpenoid asperterpenoid A

A putative three-gene cluster for asperterpenoid A was identified. Step-wise reconstitution of this gene cluster in Aspergillus oryzae reveals that astC encodes a sesterterpene cyclase to synthesize preasperterpenoid A, which is dually oxidized by a P450 enzyme AstB to give asperterpenoid A along with a minor product asperterpenoid B, and asperterpenoid A is further oxidized by another P450 eznyme AstA to afford a new sesterterpenoid asperterpenoid C. Unexpectedly, asperterpenoids A and B, but not the final product asperterpenoid C, exhibit potent inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein tyrosine phosphatase B with IC50 values of 3-6 M.