Bioactive secondary metabolites from symbiotic marine dinoflagellates: symbiodinolide and durinskiols

Symbiotic relationships play critical roles in marine ecosystems. Among symbionts, marine dinoflagellates have attracted the attention of natural products chemists, biologists, and ecologists, since they are rich sources of unique bioactive secondary metabolites. The polyol compound symbiodinolide, which was isolated from the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium sp., exhibits significant voltage-dependent N-type Ca(2+) channel-opening activity and may serve as a defense substance to prevent digestion of the host animals. Durinskiols are also unique long carbon-chain polyol compounds that were isolated from the dinoflagellate Durinskia sp. We found a selective cleavage reaction of allylic 1,2-diol using an olefin metathesis catalyst, and developed a fluorescent-labeling method for MS/MS analysis to achieve the structural elucidation of huge polyol compounds. This review highlights recent advances in structural and biological studies on symbiodinolide, durinskiols, and related polyol compounds.