Agricultural and Biological Chemistry · 1988 · 11 citations · 0 references
Life SciencesCell BiologyMicrobiologyCell DivisionMycologyMycotoxicologyCell Division InhibitionFungal Secondary MetabolitesMitosisMitotic SpindleSpindle AssemblyBioactive Fungal MetabolitesCell Division ControlCell Division InhibitorsMarine Fungal MetabolitesMarine Fungal Secondary MetabolitesMitotic PoisoningMitotic Spindle InhibitionMitotic Spindle Inhibitors
Curvularin, 8-dehydrocurvularin, and 8-hydroxycurvularin as well as a minor new metabolite, 8-methoxycurvularin, were isolated as fungal metabolites having cytotoxic activity toward sea urchin embryogenesis. Curvularin induced barrel-shaped mitotic spindles and 8-dehydrocurvularin caused miniature spindles. They were shown to act on components of the mitotic apparatus and to effectively inhibit cell division.