Erythrina crista-galli (Fabaceae) is used in Argentinean ethnopharmacology as anti-inflammatory medication, narcotic, desinfectant, and for the treatment of wounds. The common name of the tree is “ceibo“ or coral tree. The dominating endophytes in E. crista-galli all belong to the genus Phomopsis as identified by microscopic features and the analysis of their ITS sequences. To investigate a possible contribution of Phomopsis spp. to the metabolites found in the plant, twelve different isolates were cultivated in different media. Besides several new metabolites a number of known compounds were detected: mellein, nectriapyrone, 4-hydroxymellein, scytalone, tyrosol, clavatol, mevinic acid, and mevalonolactone.

In a search for inhibitors of the inducible tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) promoter activity and synthesis, a new chlorinated cyclopentenone was isolated from fermentations of the ascomycete Mollisia melaleuca. The structure was determined by a combination of spectroscopic techniques. The compound blocked the inducible human TNF-α promoter activity and synthesis with IC50-values of 2.5-5 μg/ml (8.1-16.1 μм). Studies on the mode of action of the compound revealed that the inhibition of TNF-α promoter activity is caused by an inhibition of the phosphorylation of the IϰB protein which prevents the activation of the transcription factor NF-ϰB. No cytotoxic, antibacterial and antifungal activities could be observed up to 100 μg/ml (323 μм) of the compound.

Under iron deprivation Omphalotus olearius was found to produce the hydroxamate siderophore ferrichrome A. A gene cluster consisting of three genes: fso1, a nonribosomal peptide synthetase whose expression is enhanced in the absence of iron; omo1, a l-ornithine-N5-monooxygenase; and ato1, an acyltransferase probably involved in the transfer of the methylglutaconyl residue to N5-hydroxyorinithine was identified. The fso1 sequence is interrupted by 48 introns and its derived protein sequence has a similar structure to the homologous genes of Ustilago maydis and Aspergillus nidulans. This is the first report of a nonribosomal peptide synthetase gene and a biosynthetic gene cluster in homobasidiomycetes.

AbstractIn a search for compounds inhibiting the inducible TNF-αa promoter activity in T cells, a new spiro-compound, designated oxaspirodion, was isolated from fermentations of the ascomyceteChaetomium subspirale. Oxaspirodion inhibited TNF-α promoter-driven luciferase reporter gene expression with an IC50value of 2.5 µg/ml (10 µM) in TPA/ionomycin-stimulated Jurkat T cells. Studies on the mode of action of the compound revealed that the inhibition of the TNF-α promoter activity is caused by an inhibition of the phosphorylation of the ERK1/2 kinases. In addition, oxaspirodion inhibited the activation of the transcription factor NF-κB, which is involved in the inducible expression of many proinflammatory genes.

In a search for new inhibitors of the TNF-alpha promoter activity, a new spiro-compound, designated oxaspirodion, was obtained as a mixture of four isomers from fermentations of the ascomycete Chaetomium subspirale. The structure was determined by a combination of spectroscopic techniques.

Tulasnein (1), a new metabolite with strong antimicrobial and weaker cytotoxic and phytotoxic activity, was isolated from culture filtrates of three strains of the xylariaceous coprophilous fungus Podosordaria tulasnei. The producing strains were identified by their rhizomorphs and by ITS rDNA sequence analysis. A second new metabolite, podospirone (2), was also produced by all three strains whereas the weakly cytotoxic (+)-3,4-anhydroshikimic acid methyl ester (3) was detected in only one strain.

Two new biological active cyclopentenones VM 4798-1a (1a) and VM 4798-1b (1b) were obtained as a 3:1 inseparable mixture from fermentations of Dasyscyphus sp. A47-98. The mixture of the two isomers showed cytotoxic and weak antibacterial and antifungal properties. VM 4898-1 (2-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one, 4), produced by another Dasyscyphus sp. showed no significant biological activity. The structures were elucidated by NMR techniques.

In dual cultures Oudemansiella mucida and Xerula melanotricha (basidiomycetes) react to the presence of living Penicillium notatum or P. turbatum with an increased production of strobilurin A (1) or X (2). P. notatum in turn reacts to the two basidiomycetes or their antibiotic strobilurin A alone with the production of N-(2-hydroxypropanoyl)-2-aminobenzoic acid amide (3) or chrysogine (4). P. melinii and P. urticae overgrow O. mucida due to complete resistance to strobilurin A. P. brevicompactum, P. citrinum, P. janczewskii and the other Penicillium strains are all sensitive but apparently do not induce O. mucida to produce the amounts of strobilurin A needed to inhibit their growth.

Two new antimicrobial metabolites, zopfiellamides A (1) and B (2) were isolated from fermentations of the facultative marine fungus Zopfiella latipes CBS 611.97. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques, and they are pyrrolidinone derivatives.

In a search for new fungal compounds inducing apoptosis of the colon cancer derived cell line COLO-320, hormonemate (1) was purified from fermentations of an endophytic fungus isolated from living needles of a Pinus species. The producing strain was identified as Hormonema dematioides by microscopy and ITS rDNA sequence analysis. The structure of hormonemate was determined by spectroscopic methods. The compound exhibited cytotoxic effects against the human colon tumor cell lines COLO-320, DLD-1 and HT-29 as well as five other human cell lines (HL-60, JURKAT, HEP-G2, MCF-7, HeLa S3). It also induced apoptosis in COLO-320 cells as detected by a caspase-activity assay and morphological changes, and it triggered morphological and physiological differentiation of HL-60 cells into granulocytes, which subsequently died by apoptosis.

In a search for new inhibitors of the IFN-gamma mediated signal transduction in HeLa S3 cells using secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) as reporter gene, a novel compound, designated as S14-95 was isolated from fermentations of the imperfect fungus Penicillium sp. 14-95. The compound inhibits the IFN-gamma mediated expression of the reporter gene with IC50 values of 2.5 to approximately 5 microg/ml (5.4 to approximately 10.8 microM). Furthermore the compound inhibited the expression of the proinflammatory enzymes COX-2 and NOS II at 5 microg/ml (10.8 microM) in LPS/IFN-gamma stimulated J774 mouse macrophages. Studies on the mode of action of the compound revealed that the inhibition of the IFN-gamma dependent signaling pathway is caused by an inhibition of the phosphorylation of the STAT1alpha transcription factor. In addition, S14-95 inhibited the activation of the p38 MAP kinase, which is involved in the inducible expression of many proinflammatory genes.

The gerronemins A-F (1-6) were isolated as the cytotoxic components of an extract of a Gerronema species detected in a screening for new cytotoxic metabolites from basidiomycetes. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic techniques, and they are composed of a C12-C16 alkane or alkene substituted at both ends by 2,3-dihydroxyphenyl groups. The gerronemins blocked the inducible expression of a hCOX-2 and iNOS promoter driven reporter gene with IC50-values of 1-5 microg/ml. In addition, cytotoxic activities were observed which were due the inhibition of cellular macromolecular syntheses.

The HL-60 cell line, derived from a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia, is a widely used model system to study the cellular and molecular events involved in differentiation of leukemic cells. In a screening for inducers of differentiation of HL-60 cells, cultures of Gliocladium strain 4-93 were found to produce Sch 52900, a previously isolated diketopiperazine (Chu et al,. J Antibiotics 48, 1440-1445). Sch 52900 induced the differentation of 50-69% of HL-60 cells at concentrations of 6.8-13.6 nM as measured by nitro-blue tetrazolium chloride (NBT) reduction which was followed by apoptosis as shown by DNA fragmentation. Our results demonstrate that growth arrest and the induction of differentiation by Sch 52900 is due to the induction of the cell cycle inhibitor p21WAF and an inhibition of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway which leads to the activation of the transcription factor AP-1.

The novel cytotoxic hexacyclic illudane—illudalane bis-sesquiterpene bovistol (1a) was obtained from the basidiomycete Bovista sp. 96042, together with several new sesquiterpenes. 1a is formed in the fungus by a heteroatom Diels–Alder dimerisation of psathyrellon B (2).

AbstractChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.