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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #240337
Title: Variecolactol: A New Sesterterpene Lactone from the Sclerotia of Aspergillus auricomus (Guegen) Saito

Author
item DEGUZMAN, FLORECITA - University Of Iowa
item GLOER, JAMES - University Of Iowa
item Wicklow, Donald
item Dowd, Patrick - Pat

Submitted to: Science Diliman
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: Deguzman, F.S., Gloer, J.B., Wicklow, D.T., Dowd, P.F. 1999. Variecolactol: A New Sesterterpene Lactone from the Sclerotia of Aspergillus auricomus (Guegen) Saito. Science Diliman. 11(1):1-5.

Interpretive Summary: Many fungi produce durable physiological structures called sclerotia as a mechanism for the long-term survival and propagation of the species. Sclerotia contain metabolites that appear to play a role in protecting them from microbial degradation and potential predators (i.e. fungivorous insects). Studies on the chemical constituents of the sclerotia of Aspergillus auricomus led to the isolation of variecolactol, a new sestertepend lactone related to variecolin which possesses a number of interesting biological activities.

Technical Abstract: Variecolactol (1), a new sesterterpene lactone related to variecolin (2), has been isolated from the organic extracts of Aspergillus auricomus. Structure determination of this compound was achieved primarily through HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY experiments. The known compounds dihydropenicillic acid (3) and penicillic acid (4) were also isolated from A. auricomus.