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Atlanticoline

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Parent: Porto Grande Bay Hop 6 terminal

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Atlanticoline
NameAtlanticoline

Atlanticoline Atlanticoline is a heterocyclic alkaloid isolated from marine cephalopods and benthic invertebrates. It has attracted attention in marine natural products research for its atypical bicyclic scaffold and selective bioactivities reported in pharmacology and toxicology studies. Research on Atlanticoline intersects marine chemistry, natural product biosynthesis, and drug discovery efforts centered on neuroactive and cardiotropic scaffolds.

Chemical structure and properties

Atlanticoline is described as a bicyclic imidazolone-derived alkaloid with a fused indolizidine-like core and substituted heteroatoms that confer polarity and hydrogen-bonding capacity. Spectroscopic characterization combines Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy results with Mass spectrometry fragmentation patterns and Infrared spectroscopy functional-group assignments to establish ring junctions and substituent positions. X-ray crystallography of crystalline derivatives has provided unambiguous stereochemical assignment analogous to methods used in structure elucidation of Taxol, Aconitine, and Ergotamine. The compound displays moderate aqueous solubility, a basic pKa associated with the imine/iminium equilibria, and UV-Vis absorption consistent with conjugated heterocycles observed in other marine alkaloids such as Cephalotaxine and Zetekitoxin. Reported partition coefficients (log P) and polar surface area predict membrane permeability similar to small-molecule ligands of Voltage-gated sodium channels.

Natural sources and biosynthesis

Atlanticoline was first isolated from extracts of benthic cephalopod tissues collected near the continental shelf off the Atlantic coast and subsequently detected in associated symbiotic bacteria and sponge assemblages. Field studies employed targeted sampling protocols used in surveys of Sargassum-associated fauna and expeditions analogous to those conducted by research vessels like the RV Atlantis and RV Knorr. Biosynthetic hypotheses propose a polyketide–nonribosomal peptide hybrid pathway with tailoring by flavin-dependent monooxygenases and methyltransferases, drawing parallels to biosynthesis elucidated for Tetrodotoxin-related frameworks and Ecteinascidin 743. Gene-cluster mining from metagenomic datasets and comparative genomics leveraging databases such as those curated by Joint Genome Institute and NCBI have supported candidate enzymes, including aminotransferases and cyclases homologous to those characterized in Streptomyces natural product pathways.

Pharmacology and biological activity

Pharmacological profiling of Atlanticoline has revealed activity in assays targeting ion channels, neurotransmitter receptors, and cardiotropic pathways. In vitro electrophysiology using patch-clamp techniques on Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing human channel subtypes indicated modulation of Nav1.7 and partial agonism at certain nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes, reminiscent of modulators studied in relation to Conotoxins and Batrachotoxin. Bioassays against cultured neuronal lines and cardiomyocytes referenced methods from studies of Ouabain and Digoxin to assess electrophysiological impact, calcium flux, and contractility. Antimicrobial screening has shown selective inhibition of Gram-positive pathogens using assays similar to those for Vancomycin analogs, while cytotoxicity panels employed in oncology research compared Atlanticoline effects to benchmarks like Doxorubicin and Paclitaxel. In vivo pharmacokinetics in rodent models used protocols compatible with work on marine-derived therapeutics such as Trabectedin.

Synthesis and chemical derivatives

Total syntheses of Atlanticoline and analogs have been developed following strategic bond disconnections inspired by syntheses of complex alkaloids including Strychnine and Yohimbine. Synthetic routes combine asymmetric catalysis, iminium formation, and intramolecular cycloaddition steps, with protective-group strategies paralleling those used in Aldol-based alkaloid assembly. Semisynthetic derivatization has generated a library of N-alkylated, O-methylated, and halogenated analogs to probe structure–activity relationships using medicinal chemistry tactics applied in lead optimization programs at institutions such as Merck & Co., Pfizer, and academic consortia. Late-stage functionalization employing C–H activation and photoredox catalysis has enabled rapid diversification to produce analogs with altered lipophilicity and receptor selectivity.

Toxicology and safety

Toxicological evaluation has followed OECD guidelines and GLP-compliant study designs analogous to preclinical safety assessments of natural products like Aconitum alkaloids. Acute toxicity endpoints in rodent studies determined LD50 ranges, while subchronic exposure examined hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity, and neurobehavioral outcomes using assays comparable to those for MPTP and other neurotoxins. Cardiotoxic potential was evaluated with telemetry and echocardiography studies modeled on safety pharmacology approaches used in development of cardiotonic compounds such as Istaroxime. Mechanistic toxicology implicated off-target interactions with cardiac ion channels and mitochondrial function, guiding risk mitigation through structural modification and dosing strategies.

Analytical methods and detection

Analytical detection of Atlanticoline in biological matrices and environmental samples employs high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry after derivatization, and capillary electrophoresis techniques used in marine toxin surveillance programs for compounds like Tetrodotoxin and Saxitoxin. Quantitation utilizes stable isotope-labeled internal standards synthesized for use in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) assays, with limits of detection and quantitation determined following criteria exemplified by regulatory methods from FDA and European Medicines Agency. Metabolite identification relies on high-resolution mass spectrometry and collision-induced dissociation patterns referenced to fragmentation libraries established for marine alkaloids.

Category:Marine natural products