Oosporein

Oosporein is a mycotoxin that has been found in Beauveria and has diverse biological activities.^1,2 It is cytotoxic to Sf9 and Sf21 insect cells with 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC₅₀) values of 4.23 and 10.43 µM, respectively.³ Oosporin induces lethality in day-old cockerels (LD₅₀ = 6.12 mg/kg).⁴ It inhibits Na⁺/K⁺-, Ca²⁺-, and Mg²⁺-ATPase activities by 27, 52, and 100%, respectively, in equine erythrocyte ghosts when used at a concentration of 200 µg/ml.² Oosporein inhibits herpes simplex 1 (HSV-1), but not HeLa cell or E. coli, DNA polymerase (IC₅₀s = 75, 610, and >700 µM, respectively).⁵ It is active against the bacterium S. pneumoniae (MIC = 32 µg/ml) and the plant pathogenic fungus P. infestans (MIC = 16 µM).^1,6

WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.

1. Wainwright, M., Betts, R.P., and Teale, D.M. Antibiotic activity of oosporein from Verticillium psalliotae. Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 86(1), 168-170 (1986).

2. Jeffs, L.B., and Khachatourians, G.G. Toxic properties of Beauveria pigments on erythrocyte membranes. Toxicon. 35(8), 1351-1356 (1997).

3. Arboleda Valencia, J.W., Gaitán Bustamante, A.L., Jiménez, A.V., et al. Cytotoxic activity of fungal metabolites from the pathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana: An intraspecific evaluation of beauvericin production. Curr. Microbiol. 63(3), 306-312 (2011).

4. Cole, R.J., Kirksey, J.W., Cutler, H.G., et al. Toxic effects of oosporein from Chaetomium trilaterale. J. Agric. Food Chem. 22(3), 517-520 (1974).

5. Terry, B.J., Liu, W.C., Cianci, C.W., et al. Inhibition of herpes simplex virus type 1 DNA polymerase by the natural product oosporein. J. Antibiot. (Tokyo) 45(2), 286-288 (1992).

6. Nagaoka, T., Nakata, K., Kouno, K., et al. Antifungal activity of oosporein from an antagonistic fungus against Phytophthora infestans. Z. Naturforsch. C. J. Biosci. 59(3-4), 302-304 (2004).