title: Aureobasidium pullulans as a source of liamocins (heavy oils) with anticancer activity.
abstract: Liamocins are structurally unique, heavier-than-water “oils” produced by certain strains of Aureobasidium pullulans. The aim of the current study is to identify new sources of liamocins and evaluate their potential as anticancer agents. Nine strains of A. pullulans from phylogenetic clades 8, 9, and 11 were examined for the first time for production of liamocins. Strains in these clades have only been isolated from tropical environments, and all strains tested here were from various locations in Thailand. Strains RSU 9, RSU 21, and RSU 29, all from clade 11, produced from 7.0 to 8.6 g liamocins/l from medium containing 5 % sucrose. These are the highest yields of liamocins that we have found thus far. These strains also produced from 9.4 to 17 g pullulan/l. The structural identity of liamocins was confirmed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry; differential spectra were obtained in which the dominant ion was either at about m/z 805.5 or m/z 949.6, consistent with the structure of liamocins. Liamocins from A. pullulans strains RSU 9 and RSU 21 inhibited two human breast cancer cell lines and a human cervical cancer cell line (IC50 values of 32.2 ± 1.4 to 63.1 ± 2.4 μg liamocins/ml) but were not toxic to a normal cell line. Liamocins weakly inhibited a strain of Enterococcus faecalis, but did not inhibit strains of Lactobacillus fermentum, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Thus, A. pullulans phylogenetic clade 11 is a promising source of liamocins, and these compounds merit further examination as potential anticancer agents.
authors.forename: Pennapa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manitchotpisit
authors.forename: Ramida
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watanapokasin
authors.forename: Ramida
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watanapoksin
authors.forename: Neil P  J
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Price
authors.forename: Kenneth M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Bischoff
authors.forename: Malatee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tayeh
authors.forename: Sudarat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teeraworawit
authors.forename: Saranya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kriwong
authors.forename: Timothy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Leathers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D001688:Biological Products / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D008353:Mannitol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D009821:Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014709:Vero Cells
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D009821:Oils; D013402:Sugar Alcohols; C000595090:liamocin A1; C000595091:liamocin B1; D008353:Mannitol