Minority Predoctoral Fellowship Program

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton FL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The pseudopterosins and seco-pseudopterosins are diterpene glycosides isolated from the marine soft coral, Pseudopterogorgia elisabethae. These compounds exhibit anti-inflammatory and analgesic activity greater than the industry standard, indomethacin. Our objective is to develop a production method of these potent compounds and biosynthetically related anti-inflammatory metabolites by completing biosynthetic studies, enzymology and synthetic work. We plan to elucidate the biosynthetic pathway in order to gain detailed knowledge of the biosynthesis and enzymology of the system, and utilize the information in the development of the production method. In addition, purification of the diterpene cyclase will supply sequence data needed to facilitate cloning of the enzyme into a vector. Synthetic aromatization and oxidation of the cyclized enzymatic product will be studied in order to produce the promising anti-inflammatory compounds in significant quantities. Since the only present supply of these compounds is from extraction of harvested coral, this production method could provide these compounds for clinical development or for a commercial market.