New Dihydroisocoumarin Root Growth Inhibitors From the Sponge-Derived Fungus sp. NBUF87.

Six new dihydroisocoumarins, aspergimarins A-F (-), were discovered together with five known analogs (-) from a monoculture of the sponge-derived fungus sp. NBUF87. The structures of these compounds were elucidated through comprehensive spectroscopic methods, and absolute configurations were assigned after X-ray crystallography, use of the modified Mosher's method, and comparison of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) data with literature values for previously reported analogs. Compounds - were evaluated in a variety of bioassays, and at 100 μM, both and showed significant inhibitory effects on the lateral root growth of Columbia-0 (Col-0). Moreover, at 100 μM, also possessed notable inhibition against the primary root growth of Col-0. Meanwhile, - were all found to be inactive against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (IC > 100 μM), four different types of human-derived cancer cell lines (IC > 50 μM), as well as methicillin-resistant and (MIC > 50 μg/mL), and W2 (EC > 100 μg/mL), in phenotypic tests.