title: Hypocrea lixii, novel endophytic fungi producing anticancer agent cajanol, isolated from pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to isolate, identify and characterize endophytes from pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.), as novel producer of cajanol and its in vitro cytotoxicity assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Isolation, identification and characterization of novel endophytes producing cajanol from the roots of pigeon pea were investigated. The endophytes were identified as Hypocrea lixii by morphological and molecular methods. Cajanol produced by endophytes were quantified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). R-18 produced the highest levels of cajanol (322·4 ± 10·6 μg l(-1) or 102·8 ± 6·9 μg g(-1) dry weight of mycelium) after incubation for 7 days. The cytotoxicity towards human lung carcinoma cells (A549) of fungal cajanol was investigated in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  First, a novel endophyte Hypocrea lixii, producing anticancer agent cajanol, was isolated from the host pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.). Fungal cajanol possessed stronger cytotoxicity activity towards A549 cells in time- and dose-dependent manners.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This endophyte is a potential handle for scientific and commercial exploitation, and it could provide a promising alterative approach for large-scale production of cajanol to satisfy new anticancer drug development.
authors.affiliation: State Engineering Laboratory for Bio-Resource Eco-Utilization, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D036561:Cajanus / Q000382:microbiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D060026:Endophytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D035901:Hypocrea / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000382:microbiology; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry; D000094162:Phytoalexins
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007529:Isoflavones; C471767:cajanol; D000094162:Phytoalexins