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Dictyostatin Dictyostatin was first isolated in 1994 by Pettit and coworkers from the marine sponge Spongin sp. It was demonstrated that dictyostatin inhibits the growth of human cancer cells with a GI50 ranging from 50 pM to 1 nM. Dictyostatin is also active against taxol resistant tumors expressing active P-glycoprotein. Mechanistic studies indicated that polymerization of tubulin was induced and that the microtubules were prevented from depolymerizing to tubulin heterodimers. This 22-membered lactone contains 11 stereocenters, and shares many structural characteristics with discodermolide. Due to the complexity of the molecule and its activity against cancer, dictyostatin poses an interesting target for total synthesis.