The natural compound tonantzitlolone A shows cytostatic activity on tumor cells.
In dividing cells, tonantzitlolone A induces monoastral half-spindle formation suggesting kinesin-5 inhibition.
The impact of tonantzitlolone A's synthetic enantiomer on cell proliferation is enhanced.
Both enantiomers inhibit kinesin-5 function in single-molecule motility assays, the synthetic enantiomer even stronger.
Both enantiomers are no general kinesin inhibitors as they do not affect neuronal kinesin-1 function.