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Title: Biological activities of ophiobolin K and 6-epi-ophiobolin K produced by the endophytic fungus Aspergillus calidoustus

Author
item CARVALHO, CAMILA - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item VIEIRA, MARIANA - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item Cantrell, Charles
item Wedge, David
item ALVES, TANIA - Centro De Pesquisas Rene' Rachou
item ZANI, CARLOS - Centro De Pesquisas Rene' Rachou
item PIMENTA, RAPHAEL - Federal University Of Tocantins (UFT)
item SALES, JR., POLICARPO - Centro De Pesquisas Rene' Rachou
item ROMANHA, ALVARO - Centro De Pesquisas Rene' Rachou
item ROSA, CARLOS - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais
item ROSA, LUIZ - Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais

Submitted to: Natural Product Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/16/2015
Publication Date: 3/27/2015
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62273
Citation: Carvalho, C.R., Vieira, M.L., Cantrell, C.L., Wedge, D.E., Alves, T.M., Zani, C.L., Pimenta, R.S., Sales, Jr., P.A., Romanha, A.J., Rosa, C.A., Rosa, L.H. 2015. Biological activities of ophiobolin K and 6-epi-ophiobolin K produced by the endophytic fungus Aspergillus calidoustus. Natural Product Research. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2015.1022777.

Interpretive Summary: Endophytic fungi represent a particular group of microorganisms that live within the vascular tissue and spaces of plant tissue without causing apparent negative effects for the host plant. Many plant species have been shown to shelter interesting endophytic fungal communities which are able of producing antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and antitumor compounds. Among the endophytic groups studied, those recovered from medicinal plants are of particular interest to us because they often produce compounds which appear to play a role in host defence or posses unique biologically active metabolites. Aspergillus calidoustus, was isolated from the plant species Canthospermum australe (Asteraceae). A dichloromethane extract of the fungus displayed antifungal, antiprotozoal, and cytotoxic activities. ophiobolin K and 6-epi-ophiobolin K displayed antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi, protozoa activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, and cytotoxic activity against human tumor cells.

Technical Abstract: The endophytic fungus, Aspergillus calidoustus, was isolated from the plant species Acanthospermum australe (Asteraceae). A dichloromethane extract of the fungus displayed antifungal, antiprotozoal, and cytotoxic activities. Aspergillus calidoustus was identified using molecular, physiological and morphological methods. The dichloromethane extract of A. calidoustus was subjected to antifungal bioassay-directed fractionation enabling the bioactive compounds, ophiobolin K and 6-epi-ophiobolin K, to be identified. These compounds displayed strong antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi, protozoa activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, and cytotoxic activity against human tumoral cell lines. Our results show that tropical medicinal flora are a source of endophytic fungi that produce bioactive metabolites which may serve a new lead compounds in the development novel agrochemical and pharmaceutical agents.