BIOSYNTHESIS OF ASCOFURANONE BY THE FUNGUS PAECILOMYCES-VARIOTII BAINIER

In the course of searching for microbial metabolites able to inhibit c holesterol biosynthesis, it was found the that culture liquid of the f ungal strain INA-199 isolated from a soil sample exhibited a pronounce d hypolipidemic activity and inhibited [C-14]acetate incorporation int o cholesterol in a hepatoblastoma G2 cell culture. A complex of antibi otics was isolated from the culture liquid. The main component of the complex (F-199-A) was identified as ascofuranone, an antibiotic that h ad been discovered in Ascochyta viciae Libert. Strain INA-199, a new p roducer of ascofuranone, was assigned to the species Paecilomyces vari otii Bainier.