Year: 1996
Type: article
Abstract: An elaborate array of structurally-novel and biologically-active cyclic peptides and depsipeptides are found in blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Several of these compounds possess structures that are similar to those of natural products from marine invertebrates. Most of these cyclic peptides and depsipeptides, such as the microcystins and the lyngbyatoxins, will probably only be useful as biochemical research tools. A few, however, have the potential for development into useful commercial products. For example, cryptophycin-1, a novel inhibitor of microtubule assembly from Nostoc sp GSV 224, shows impressive activity against a broad spectrum of solid tumors implanted in mice, including multidrug-resistant ones, and majusculamide C, a microfilament-depolymerizing agent from Lyngbya majuscula, shows potent fungicidal activity and may have use in the treatment of resistant fungal-induced diseases of domestic plants and agricultural crops.
DOI: 10.1007/bf01570074
Author: R E Moore
Institutions: University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, University of Hawaii System
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2079620945