Structure and activity of largazole, a potent antiproliferative agent from the Floridian marine cyanobacterium Symploca sp.

A novel cytotoxic cyclodepsipeptide, termed largazole (1), has been isolated from the marine cyanobacterium Symploca sp. collected in the Florida Keys. Its planar structure was elucidated by 1 D and 2D NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with mass spectrometry. The absolute configuration of I was determined by chemical degradation followed by chiral HPLC analysis. Largazole (1) possesses densely assembled unusual structural features, including a rare 4-methylthiazoline linearly fused to a thiazole in its cyclic core and a hitherto undescribed 3-hydroxy-7-mercaptohept-4-enoic acid unit incorporated in an ester, thioester, and amide framework. Largazole (1) exhibits potent antiproliferative activity and preferentially targets cancer cells over nontransformed cells.