title: Cyclosporin C is the main antifungal compound produced by Acremonium luzulae.
abstract: A strain of Acremonium luzulae (Fuckel) W. Gams was selected in screening new microorganisms for biological control of fruit postharvest diseases, especially gray and blue mold diseases on apples and strawberries. This strain manifests a very strong activity against a large number of phytopathogenic fungi. In this work, the product responsible for this antifungal activity was isolated from modified Sabouraud dextrose broth cultures of A. luzulae. It was purified to homogeneity by reverse-phase column chromatography. On the basis of UV, infrared, and 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, mass spectral analysis, and the amino acid composition of the acid hydrolysates, the antibiotic was determined to be cyclosporin C. Cyclosporin C showed a broad-spectrum activity against filamentous phytopathogenic fungi but no activity against bacteria or yeasts. Its antifungal activity is only fungistatic. In contrast to Tolypocladium inflatum, another cyclosporin-producing strain, A. luzulae, did not produce additional cyclosporins. This was confirmed by in vivo-directed biosynthesis.
authors.affiliation: Centre Wallon de Biologie Industrielle, University of Liege, Belgium. CWBIULG@Vm1.ulg.ac.be
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moussaïf
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jacques
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Schaarwächter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Budzikiewicz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thonart
mesh_terms: D000164:Acremonium / Q000378:metabolism*; D000898:Antibiosis; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018533:Biomass; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D005638:Fruit / Q000382:microbiology; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D015394:Molecular Structure; D014462:Ultrafiltration
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D003524:Cyclosporins; C100000:cyclosporin C