Mololipids, a new series of anti-HIV bromotyramine-derived compounds from a sponge of the order Verongida

A new series of lipids called mololipids have been identified from an Hawai ian sponge of the order Verongida. The structures of these lipids was deduc ed from spectroscopic data of the lipid mixture combined with GC-MS analysi s. The core of this novel series of lipids is a bromotyramine homoserine-de rived moiety known as moloka'iamine (1) which is found in many Verongid spo nge metabolites. Moloka'iamine forms bisamides with a diverse series of fat ty acids and the mololipids mixture (2) was active against HIV-1 with an EC 50 of 52.2 mu M without cytotoxicity in human lymphocytes (IC50 > 100 mu M) .