![]() | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations .(August 2013) |
Quinocitrinines are quinoline alkaloids isolated from a permafrost Penicillium.
Penicillium is a genus of ascomycetous fungi that is part of the mycobiome of many species and is of major importance in the natural environment, in food spoilage, and in food and drug production.
Quinoline is a heterocyclic aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula C9H7N. It is a colorless hygroscopic liquid with a strong odor. Aged samples, especially if exposed to light, become yellow and later brown. Quinoline is only slightly soluble in cold water but dissolves readily in hot water and most organic solvents. Quinoline itself has few applications, but many of its derivatives are useful in diverse applications. A prominent example is quinine, an alkaloid found in plants. Over 200 biologically active quinoline and quinazoline alkaloids are identified. 4-Hydroxy-2-alkylquinolines (HAQs) are involved in antibiotic resistance.
Penicillium roqueforti is a common saprotrophic fungus in the genus Penicillium. Widespread in nature, it can be isolated from soil, decaying organic matter, and plants.
Xantocillin (INN), also known as xanthocillin X or ophthocillin, was the first reported natural product found to contain the isocyanide functional group. It was first isolated from Penicillium notatum by Rothe in 1950 and subsequently from several other sources.
Penicillium chrysogenum is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium. It is common in temperate and subtropical regions and can be found on salted food products, but it is mostly found in indoor environments, especially in damp or water-damaged buildings. It has been recognised as a species complex that includes P. notatum, P. meleagrinum, and P. cyaneofulvum. Molecular phylogeny has established that Alexander Fleming's first discovered penicillin producing strain is of a distinct species, P. rubens, and not of P. notatum. It has rarely been reported as a cause of human disease. It is the source of several β-lactam antibiotics, most significantly penicillin. Other secondary metabolites of P. chrysogenum include roquefortine C, meleagrin, chrysogine, 6-MSA YWA1/melanin, andrastatin A, fungisporin, secalonic acids, sorbicillin, and PR-toxin.
Penicillium rubens is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium and was the first species known to produce the antibiotic penicillin. It was first described by Philibert Melchior Joseph Ehi Biourge in 1923. For the discovery of penicillin from this species Alexander Fleming shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945. The original penicillin-producing type has been variously identified as Penicillium rubrum, P. notatum, and P. chrysogenum among others, but genomic comparison and phylogenetic analysis in 2011 resolved that it is P. rubens. It is the best source of penicillins and produces benzylpenicillin (G), phenoxymethylpenicillin (V) and octanoylpenicillin (K). It also produces other important bioactive compounds such as andrastin, chrysogine, fungisporin, roquefortine, and sorbicillins.
Communesin B is a cytotoxic chemical compound isolated from Penicillium strains found on the marine alga Ulva intestinalis. It exhibits cytotoxicity in vitro against human lung carcinoma, prostate carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, cervical adenocarcinoma, and breast adenocarcinoma cell lines.
Fellutanine A, B, C and D are bio-active diketopiperazine alkaloids isolated from the cultures of Penicillium fellutanum, that belongs to a class of naturally occurring 2,5-diketopiperazines. Originally they were thought to be based on the "trans" cyclic dipetide cyclo(L-Trp-D-Trp) but were later shown to be based on the "cis" cyclic dipetide cyclo(L-Trp-L-Trp). This was also confirmed when fellutanine A, B and C were isolated from Penicillium simplicissimum. The fellutanines A−C, are non-annulated analogues of cyclo(L-Trp-L-Trp), but unlike their diannulated analogue fellutanine D are not cytotoxic.
Piscarinines are bioactive alkaloid isolates of Penicillium piscarium NKM F-961 and Penicillium piscarium Westling that belong to a class of naturally occurring 2,5-diketopiperazines. The cytotoxic dehydroproline tryptophan derivatives piscarinines A and B were shown to be active against the prostate cancer cell line LNCAP.
Epoxyagroclavine is an ergot alkaloid made by permafrost Penicillium.
Meleagrin and its derivatives such as oxaline are bio-active benzylisoquinoline alkaloids made by various species of Penicillium fungi. It is similar to other fungal alkaloids, such as Roquefortine C, which is made as an intermediate in the same biosynthetic pathway.
Questiomycin A is an antibiotic made by the fungus Penicillium expansum.
Stephacidin A and B are antitumor alkaloids isolated from the fungus Aspergillus ochraceus that belong to a class of naturally occurring 2,5-diketopiperazines. This unusual family of fungal metabolites are complex bridged 2,5-diketopiperazine alkaloids that possess a unique bicyclo[2.2.2]diazaoctane core ring system and are constituted mainly from tryptophan, proline, and substituted proline derivatives where the olefinic unit of the isoprene moiety has been formally oxidatively cyclized across the α-carbon atoms of a 2,5-diketopiperazine ring. The molecular architecture of stephacidin B, formally a dimer of avrainvillamide, reveals a complex dimeric prenylated N-hydroxyindole alkaloid that contains 15 rings and 9 stereogenic centers and is one of the most complex indole alkaloids isolated from fungi. Stephacidin B rapidly converts into the electrophilic monomer avrainvillamide in cell culture, and there is evidence that the monomer avrainvillamide interacts with intracellular thiol-containing proteins, most likely by covalent modification.
Fungal isolates have been researched for decades. Because fungi often exist in thin mycelial monolayers, with no protective shell, immune system, and limited mobility, they have developed the ability to synthesize a variety of unusual compounds for survival. Researchers have discovered fungal isolates with anticancer, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, and other bio-active properties. The first statins, β-Lactam antibiotics, as well as a few important antifungals, were discovered in fungi.
Medicinal fungi are fungi that contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs. Compounds successfully developed into drugs or under research include antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, cholesterol and ergosterol synthesis inhibitors, psychotropic drugs, immunosuppressants and fungicides.
Penicillium citrinum is an anamorph, mesophilic fungus species of the genus of Penicillium which produces tanzawaic acid A-D, ACC, Mevastatin, Quinocitrinine A, Quinocitrinine B, and nephrotoxic citrinin. Penicillium citrinum is often found on moldy citrus fruits and occasionally it occurs in tropical spices and cereals. This Penicillium species also causes mortality for the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. Because of its mesophilic character, Penicillium citrinum occurs worldwide. The first statin (Mevastatin) was 1970 isolated from this species.
Geomyces pannorum is a yellow-brown filamentous fungus of the phylum Ascomycota commonly found in cold soil environments including the permafrost of the Northern hemisphere. A ubiquitous soil fungus, it is the most common species of the genus Geomyces; which also includes G. vinaceus and G. asperulatus. Geomyces pannorum has been identified as an agent of disfigurement of pigments used in the 15,000-year-old paintings on the walls of the Lascaux caves of France. Strains of Geomyces have been recovered from the Alaskan Fox Permafrost Tunnel and radiocarbon dated to between 14,000 and 30,000 years old.
Penicillium palitans is an anamorph species of fungus in the genus Penicillium which was isolated from cheese and ancient permafrost deposits. Penicillium palitans produces viridicatin, cyclopiazonic acid, roquefortine, palitantin and ochratoxin A
Penicillium thymicola is a halotolerant species of fungus in the genus Penicillium which produces okaramine A, daldinin D, alantrypinone, seranttrypinone, fumiquinazoline F and fumiquinazoline G.
Penicillium variabile is an anamorph species of fungus in the genus Penicillium which has been isolated from permafrost deposits. Penicillium variabile produces rugulovasine A and rugulovasine B This species occurs on wheat, flour, maize, rice, and barley, and it is also very common in indoor environments.