Structures and Biosynthesis of Aflastatins: Novel Inhibitors of Aflatoxin Production by Aspergillus parasiticus.

Abstract

Two novel inhibitors of aflatoxin production by Aspergillus parasiticus were isolated from the mycelial extracts of Streptomyces sp. MRI142 and termed aflastatin A and B. The structures of aflastatin A (1) and B (5) were elucidated by NMR and chemical degradation experiments. These compounds have a novel skeleton of a tetramic acid derivative with a highly oxygenated long alkyl chain. The incorporation experiments using 13C-labeled acetates, propionate, glucose and glycolate suggested that most of the C2 and C3 units involved in the alkyl chain moiety of aflastatin A were biosynthesized from acetic and propionic acids, but five C2 units in the alkyl chain originated from glycolic acid.