ARS | Publication request: NEW CYCLIC PEPTIDE AND BIS-INDOLYL BENZENOID METABOLITES FROM THE SCLEROTIAOF ASPERGILLUS SCLEROTIORUM

Submitted to: Journal of Natural Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: May 5, 2000
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: There is an urgent need for new sources of antiinsectan agents that can be used in combating insect pests of crops, and fungal sclerotia offer a potential source of novel insecticides useful to agriculture. Scleramide, a new cyclic peptide, was isolated from extracts of the sclerotia of Aspergillus sclerotiorum. When applied to cotton leaf disks, scleramide caused a modest 27% reduction in feeding rate when tested against the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiptera. Insect resistance to pesticides has become increasingly problematic in recent years, and new classes of environmentally friendly agricultural pesticides are also needed.

Technical Abstract: Scleramide, a new cyclic hexapeptide, and a new oxidized bis-indolyl benzenoid derivative (2"-oxoasterriquinol D methyl ether) were isolated from extracts of the sclerotia of Aspergillus sclerotiorum (NRRL 5167). The structures of these compounds were determined by analysis of 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments.