Control Efficacy of Entomopathogenic Fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum against Chili Thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis) on Chili Plant.

In a laboratory assay, it was shown that B. bassiana BCC48145, BCC2660, and P. lilacinum TBRC10638 were the three strains that exhibited the highest insecticidal activity against chili thrips, causing 92.5% and 91.86% and 92.3% corrected mortality, respectively. The fungi B. bassiana BCC48145 and P. lilacinum TBRC10638 were selected for greenhouse spraying. Cytotoxicity test of the extracts from both fungi evaluated against 4 animal cell lines: KB; human oral cavity carcinoma, MCF7; human breast adenocarcinoma, NCI-H187; human small cell lung carcinoma and GFP-expressing Vero cells, showed none-cytotoxic to all cell lines. An efficacy validation in the greenhouse showed that P. lilacinum TBRC 10638 was more effective than B. bassiana BCC48145 and could control the thrips up to 80% when using the fungus at 108 spores/mL. The LC50 values of P. lilacinum TBRC 10638 against chili thrips based on total thrips count from two experiments were 1.42 × 108 and 1.12 × 107 spores/mL when the fungal spores were sprayed once a week. The optimal concentration of P. lilacinum TBRC 10638 spores for effective control of chili thrips was determined at 1.41 × 109 spores/mL. The average efficacy of P. lilacinum TBRC 10638 for thrips control from 3 field trials was 30.08%, 14.39%, and 29.92%. This result was not significantly different from that of the chemical insecticide treatment group, which showed efficacy at 19.27%, 14.92%, and 19.97%. Furthermore, there was no difference in productivity among the different treatment groups. Our results demonstrated that P. lilacinum TBRC 10638 is a promising biocontrol agent that could be used as an alternative to chemical insecticide for controlling chili thrips.

Semisynthesis and antibacterial activities of nidulin derivatives.

Derivatives of the fungal depsidone, nidulin, have been synthesized in order to evaluate the potential of the chemical skeleton as antibacterial agents. Alkylation, acylation, and arylation reactions of nornidulin underwent in a regioselective manner to predominantly produce 8-O-substituted derivatives. Many of the semisynthetic derivatives showed more potent antibacterial activities than nidulin, In particular, 8-O-aryl ether derivatives displayed significant activities against Gram-positive bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Antitubercular Activity of Mycelium-Associated Ganoderma Lanostanoids.

In a continuation of our research into antitubercular lanostane triterpenoids from submerged cultures of Ganoderma species, three strains, Ganoderma orbiforme BCC 22325, Ganoderma sp. BCC 60695, and Ganoderma australe BCC 22314, have been investigated. Fourteen new lanostane triterpenoids, together with 35 known compounds, were isolated. Antitubercular activities of these mycelium-associated Ganoderma lanostanoids against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra were evaluated. Taken together with the assay data of previously isolated compounds, structure-activity relationships of the antitubercular activity are proposed. Most importantly, 3ß- and 15α-acetoxy groups were shown to be critical for antimycobacterial activity. The most potent compound was (24E)-3ß,15α-diacetoxylanosta-7,9(11),24-trien-26-oic acid (35).

Terphenyl derivatives and drimane - Phathalide/isoindolinones from Hypoxylon fendleri BCC32408.

The genus Hypoxylon, a member of the family Xylariaceae, has been known to produce significant secondary metabolites in terms of chemical diversity. Moreover, the compounds isolated can also be used as chemotaxonomic characters for differentiation among the two sections, which are sect. Annulata and sect. Hypoxylon. In our continuing chemical screening programme for novel compounds, the crude extracts of H. fendleri BCC32408 gave significant chemical profiles in HPLC analyses. Thus, the chemical investigation of these crude extracts was then carried out. The investigation led to the isolation of ten previously undescribed compounds including three terphenylquinones (fendleryls A - C), one terphenyl (fendleryl D), and six novel drimane - phthalide-type lactone/isoindolinones derivatives (fendlerinines A - F) along with seven known compounds (2-O-methylatromentin, rickenyl E, atromentin, rickenyls C - D, (+)-ramulosin, and O-hydroxyphenyl acetic acid). The chemical structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analyses, including 1D, 2D NMR and high-resolution mass spectrometry, as well as chemical transformations. In addition, these isolated compounds were assessed for antimicrobial activity including antimalarial (against Plasmodium falciparum, K-1 strain), antifungal (against Candida albicans), antibacterial (against Bacillus cereus) activities. Cytotoxicity against both cancerous (KB, MCF-7, NCI-H187) and non-cancerous (Vero) cells of these compounds were also evaluated.

Alliacane sesquiterpenoids from submerged cultures of the basidiomycete Inonotus sp. BCC 22670.

Nine alliacane sesquiterpenoids, inonoalliacanes A-I, were isolated from culture broth of the basidiomycete Inonotus sp. BCC 22670. The structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data. The absolute configuration of inonoalliacane F was determined by application of the modified Mosher's method. Inonoalliacane A, the most abundant sesquiterpene constituent, exhibited moderate antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus, whereas inonoalliacane B showed antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type 1.

Hirsutane Sesquiterpenes from Cultures of the Basidiomycete Marasmiellus sp. BCC 22389.

Two new hirsutane sesquiterpenes, marasmiellins A (1) and B (2), were isolated from cultures of the basidiomycete Marasmiellus sp. BCC 22389. The structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data. The absolute configuration of marasmiellin B was determined by application of the modified Mosher's method.

Aromadendrane and cyclofarnesane sesquiterpenoids from cultures of the basidiomycete Inonotus sp. BCC 23706.

Twelve aromadendrane sesquiterpenoids, inonotins A-L, and a previously unknown cyclofarnesane, i.e., inonofarnesane, together with two known compounds, were isolated from cultures of the wood-rotting basidiomycete Inonotus sp. BCC 23706. Inonotin I is identical to a previously reported compound with an incorrect structure. Structures of the compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and X-ray crystallography. The absolute configurations of inonotin D and inonofarnesane were determined by application of the modified Mosher's method.

Ascochlorin derivatives from the leafhopper pathogenic fungus Microcera sp. BCC 17074.

Two new ascochlorin derivatives, nectchlorins A (1) and B (2), together with eight known compounds (3-10), were isolated from cultures of the leafhopper pathogen Microcera sp. BCC 17074. The structures were elucidated on the basis of NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data. The absolute configuration of 2 was determined by application of the modified Mosher's method. The absolute configuration of LL-Z 1272α epoxide (9), which is a plausible biosynthetic precursor of ascochlorins, was established by chemical correlations. Cytotoxic activities of these ascochlorin derivatives were evaluated.

Sterostreins F-O, illudalanes and norilludalanes from cultures of the Basidiomycete Stereum ostrea BCC 22955.

Sterostreins F-O (1-10), 10 illudalanes and norilludalanes, were isolated from cultures of the Basidiomycete Stereum ostrea BCC 22955. Their structures were elucidated by analyses of the NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometry data. Sterostreins M (8), N (9), and O (10) are pyridine-containing illudalanes.

Bioactive compounds from the scale insect pathogenic fungus Conoideocrella tenuis BCC 18627.

A new cyclohexadepsipeptide, conoideocrellide A (1), its linear derivatives, conoideocrellides B-D (2-4), three new hopane triterpenoids (5-7), two new bioxanthracenes (9 and 10), and a new isocoumarin glycoside (13) were isolated from the scale insect pathogenic fungus Conoideocrella tenuis BCC 18627. Biological activities of the new compounds were evaluated.

Pyridone and tetramic acid alkaloids from the spider pathogenic fungus Torrubiella sp. BCC 2165.

Torrubiellones A-D (1-4), new pyridone and tetramic acid alkaloids, were isolated from the spider pathogenic fungus Torrubiella sp. BCC 2165. Torrubiellone A (1) exhibited antimalarial activity with an IC(50) value of 8.1 µM, while it showed very weak cytotoxic activity.

10-membered macrolides from the insect pathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris BCC 2816.

Three new 10-membered macrolides (1-3) have been isolated from the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps militaris BCC 2816, together with six known compounds, cepharosporolides C (4), E (5), and F (6), 2-carboxymethyl-4-(3'-hydroxybutyl)furan (7), cordycepin (8), and pyridine-2,6-dicarboxylic acid. The structures were determined by analysis of NMR data, and an X-ray analysis was performed to confirm the structure of 1. The antimalarial activity of 1-4 and 8 against Plasmodium falciparum K1 was evaluated.

Isolation and structure elucidation of a novel antimalarial macrocyclic polylactone, menisporopsin A, from the fungus Menisporopsis theobromae.

An antimalarial macrocyclic polylactone, menisporopsin A (1), was isolated from a cell extract of the seed fungus Menisporopsis theobromae. The structure of 1 was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and chemical transformations, with the absolute configuration established by application of the modified Mosher method and by using chiral HPLC. Menisporopsin A (1) possesses an unprecedented residue, 2,4-dihydroxy-6-(2,4-dihydroxy-n-pentyl)benzoic acid. This compound exhibited antimalarial activity, with an IC(50) value of 4.0 microg mL(-1), and antimycobacterial activity (MIC value of 50 microg mL(-1)).

Enniatin production by the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium hemipterigenum BCC 1449.

Optimal fermentation conditions for enniatin production using the entomopathogenic fungus Verticillium hemipterigenum BCC 1449 have been investigated. Among various liquid media tested, highest efficiency of enniatin production was achieved by fermentation in yeast extract sucrose. Application of this condition to large-scale fermentation resulted in the isolation of three new analogs, O1, O2 and O3, which are closely related isomers that were characterized as an inseparable mixture, along with seven known enniatins.