Microbial Dimerization and Chlorination of Isoflavones by a Takla Makan Desert-Derived Streptomyces sp. HDN154127

Sixteen new biisoflavones, bisoflavolins A–N (1–16), were discovered from cultures of the Takla Makan desert-derived strain Streptomyces sp. HDN154127. The chemical structures, including axial chirality, were elucidated by NMR, MS, and ECD analyses. Antibacterial activity of dimerized compounds was tested against seven different bacteria. The dimerized compounds showed better activity (MIC from 0.8 to 50.0 μM) than the corresponding monomers (daidzein and genistein, MIC > 50.0 μM). The rare dimeric and chlorinated structures in 1–16 were proved to be biotransformation products obtained from soy isoflavones and sodium chloride, which constituted the culture medium. This is the first report of an actinomycete that promotes both dimerization and chlorination utilizing natural isoflavones as skeletons sources.