Degradation and Reconstruction of Moenomycin A and Derivatives: Dissecting the Function of the Isoprenoid Chain

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Abstract
Moenomycin A is the only known natural product that inhibits peptidoglycan biosynthesis by binding the bacterial transglycosylases. We describe a degradation/reconstruction route to manipulate the reducing end of moenomycin A. A comparison of the biological and enzyme inhibitory activity of moenomycin A and an analogue containing a nerol lipid in place of the natural C25 lipid chain provides insight into the role of the moenocinol unit. Our results show that a lipid chain having ten carbons in moenocinol is sufficient for enzyme inhibition, but a longer chain is required for biological acitivity, apparently because the molecule must partition into biological membranes to reach its target in bacterial cells.