title: Potentiation effect of corn extract on the production of eremofortin C, EC oxidase, and PR toxin by Penicillium roqueforti.
abstract: Eremofortin C (EC) and PR toxin are secondary metabolites of Penicillium roqueforti. Their structures are similar and differ only by an alcohol and an aldehyde group at the C-12 position. EC has been demonstrated to be the precursor of PR toxin, and EC is transformed to PR toxin by EC oxidase. These two compounds and EC oxidase are secreted by P. roqueforti in the culture medium, which is usually composed of 15% sucrose and 2% yeast extract. Recently, we discovered that the addition of corn extract to this medium increased the production of EC and PR toxin and the activity of EC oxidase in a coordinative manner. In a time-course study, we found that the peak yield of EC and PR toxin and the maximum activity of EC oxidase in the culture medium containing 7.5% sucrose, 1% yeast extract, and 20% corn extract were increased 6.2, 4.6, and 4.7-fold, respectively, as compared with those obtained in the medium without corn extract. Moreover, corn extract increased the production of EC and PR toxin and the activity of EC oxidase by P. roqueforti in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand, when the concentrations of sucrose and yeast extract were increased while fixing the ratio of corn extract, we found that the levels of EC and PR toxin and the enzyme activity were decreased concomitantly. We thus conclude that corn extract can enhance the production of EC, PR toxin and EC oxidase by P. roqueforti when grown in a minimal medium and that the potentiation effect of corn extract is suppressed when the fungi are grown in a rich medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, National Yang-Ming Medical College, Taipei, Republic of China.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: C Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wei
mesh_terms: D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003470:Culture Media; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009183:Mycotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010407:Penicillium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D000081223:Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D009183:Mycotoxins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000081223:Polycyclic Sesquiterpenes; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C015188:eremofortin C; C075203:eremofortin C oxidase; D000429:Alcohol Oxidoreductases