Four new indole-diterpene alkaloids asperindoles A–D (1–4) and the known p-terphenyl derivative 3″-hydroxyterphenyllin (5) were isolated from the marine-derived strain of the fungus Aspergillus sp., associated with an unidentified colonial ascidian. The structures of 1–5 were established by 2D NMR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configurations of all stereocenters of 1–4 were determined by the combination of ROESY data, coupling constants analysis, and biogenetic considerations. Asperindoles C and D contain a 2-hydroxyisobutyric acid (2-HIBA) residue, rarely found in natural compounds. Asperindole A exhibits cytotoxic activity against hormone therapy-resistant PC-3 and 22Rv1, as well as hormone therapy-sensitive human prostate cancer cells, and induces apoptosis in these cells at low-micromolar concentrations.

Seven new deoxyisoaustamide derivatives (1–7) together with known compounds (8–10) were isolated from the coral-derived fungus Penicillium dimorphosporum KMM 4689. Their structures were established using spectroscopic methods, X-ray diffraction analysis and by comparison with related known compounds. The absolute configurations of some alkaloids were determined based on CD and NOESY data as well as biogenetic considerations. The cytotoxic and neuroprotective activities of some of the isolated compounds were examined and structure-activity relationships were pointed out. New deoxyisoaustamides 4–6 at concentration of 1 µM revealed a statistical increase of PQ(paraquat)-treated Neuro-2a cell viability by 30–39%.

New anthraquinone derivatives acruciquinones A–C (1–3), together with ten known metabolites, were isolated from the obligate marine fungus Asteromyces cruciatus KMM 4696. Acruciquinone C is the first member of anthraquinone derivatives with a 6/6/5 backbone. The structures of isolated compounds were established based on NMR and MS data. The absolute stereoconfigurations of new acruciquinones A–C were determined using ECD and quantum chemical calculations (TDDFT approach). A plausible biosynthetic pathway of the novel acruciquinone C was proposed. Compounds 1–4 and 6–13 showed a significant antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus growth, and acruciquinone A (1), dendryol B (4), coniothyrinone B (7), and ω-hydroxypachybasin (9) reduced the activity of a key staphylococcal enzyme, sortase A. Moreover, the compounds, excluding 4, inhibited urease activity. We studied the effects of anthraquinones 1, 4, 7, and 9 and coniothyrinone D (6) in an in vitro model of skin infection when HaCaT keratinocytes were cocultivated with S. aureus. Anthraquinones significantly reduce the negative impact of S. aureus on the viability, migration, and proliferation of infected HaCaT keratinocytes, and acruciquinone A (1) revealed the most pronounced effect.

Six new carotane sesquiterpenoids piltunines A–F (1–6) together with known compounds (7–9) were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Penicillium piltunense KMM 4668. Their structures were established using spectroscopic methods. The absolute configurations of 1–7 were determined based on circular dichroism (CD) and nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy (NOESY) data as well as biogenetic considerations. The cytotoxic activity of some of the isolated compounds and their effects on regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophages were examined.

Seven new 6,6-spiroketals, sargassopenillines A–G (1–7) were isolated from the alga-derived fungi Penicillium thomii KMM 4645 and Penicillium lividum KMM 4663. The structures of these metabolites were determined by HR-MS and 1D and 2D NMR. The absolute configurations of compounds 1, 5 and 6 were assigned by the modified Mosher’s method and by CD data. Sargassopenilline C (3) inhibited the transcriptional activity of the oncogenic nuclear factor AP-1 with an IC₅₀ value of 15 µM.