Novel Cyclic Tetrapeptides as Neuraminidase Inhibitors from a Sponge-Associated Penicillium sp. SCSIO41035

Four new compounds and three new natural products (<b>1</b>-<b>7</b>), including three novel cyclic tetrapeptides (penicopeptides B-D), along with three known spiroquinazoline analogs (<b>8</b>-<b>10</b>), were isolated from rice medium cultures of a sponge-associated <i>Penicillium</i> sp. SCSIO41035. The structural elucidations, including the determination of absolute configurations, were accomplished by comprehensive analyses utilizing NMR spectroscopy, HRESIMS, optical rotation data, X-ray crystallography experiments and electronic circular dichroism calculations. Differential NMR signals between symmetric units in cyclotetrapeptides <b>1</b> and <b>2</b> arise from the asymmetric solution conformations as investigated through conformational searching and theoretical calculations. The asymmetric conformations were primarily caused by the flexibility of the tyrosine residue's phenyl side chain, with its substantial electron density significantly influencing the NMR signals of nearby groups. Bioactivity screening results displayed that isolated compounds demonstrated good neuraminidase inhibitory activity, with inhibition rates ranging from 43.16% to 85.40% at a concentration of 100 µg/mL.