The impact of Andean Patagonian mycoflora in the search for new lead molecules.

Secondary metabolites from fungi have become a major source of chemical innovation in programs searching for lead molecules with bioactivities, especially over the last 50 years. In this review, we discuss the fundamental considerations in the discovery of molecules for agricultural and medicinal uses. This group of organisms possesses a strong potential for scientific and industrial communities. Recently, the incorporation of new technologies for the artificial cultivation of fungi and the use of better equipment to isolate and identify active metabolites has allowed the discovery of leading molecules for the design of new and safer drugs and pesticides. The geographical region including the Patagonian Andes mountains harbors a wide diversity of fungi, many of them still unknown and so far associated with Chilean-Argentinian Andean endemic forests. There have been very few chemical studies of the fungi located in this region. However, those few studies have allowed the discovery of new molecules. We argue that the richness of fungal biodiversity in this region offers an interesting source for the discovery of bioactive molecules for the basic and applied sciences.

Antifungal activities of secondary metabolites isolated from liquid fermentations of Stereum hirsutum (Sh134-11) against Botrytis cinerea (grey mould agent).

Extracts obtained from liquid mycelial fermentations of the Chilean fungus Stereum hirsutum (Sh134-11) showed antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea. Two types of extracts were obtained: EtOAc-extract (liquid phase) and MeOH-extract (mycelial phase). Plate diffusion assay showed that EtOAc-extracts were more active than MeOH-extracts. A large-scale fermentation of Sh134-11 and chromatographic methods allowed to isolated four compounds: MS-3, Vibralactone, Vibralactone B and Sterenin D. Only Sterenin D showed antifungal activity against B. cinerea in the tests performed. Effects on the mycelial growth of B. cinerea showed that Sterenin D showed inhibition at 1000-2000 µg/mL reaching 67% and 76% respectively. Sterenin D was more effective to control the sporogenesis, inhibiting in 96% the sporulation at 500 µg/mL. Assays showed that Sterenin D exhibited a minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) of 50 µg/mL and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 20 µg/mL. Our study indicated that submerged fermentations of Chilean S. hirsutum (Sh134-11) produced extracts with antifungal activity and Sterenin D is responsible for this activity, which could be used as possible biofungicides alternative to synthetic fungicides.