PRODUCTION OF NEOSOLANIOL BY FUSARIUM-TUMIDUM

Extracts from autoclaved maize culture of Fusarium tumidum strain R-5823 were toxic towards Artemia salina. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the organic extract led to the isolation of the toxic compound that was identified as the trichothecene toxin neosolaniol (NEOS) by H-1, C-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and low-resolution electronic impact mass spectrometry. The amount of NEOS produced by the strain R-5823 was 300 mg/kg maize culture, NEOS was also detected by HPLC in cultures of four out of seven additional strains of F. tumidum and Gibberella tumida with different origin, in amounts ranging from 1 to 311 mg/kg. This is the first report on the production of a trichothecene toxin by F. tumidum.