Insights into the Metabolomic Capacity of Podaxis and Isolation of Podaxisterols A-D, Ergosterol Derivatives Carrying Nitrosyl Cyanide-Derived Modifications

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Huijuan Guo
  • Jan Martin Daniel
  • Elena Seibel
  • Immo Burkhardt
  • Benjamin H. Conlon
  • Helmar Görls
  • Daniel Giddings Vassão
  • Jeroen S. Dickschat
  • Poulsen, Michael
  • Christine Beemelmanns

Cultures of a termite-associated and a free-living member of the fungal genus Podaxis, revived from spores maintained in century-old herbarium collections, were analyzed for their insecticidal and antimicrobial effects. Their secondary metabolomes were explored to uncover possible adaptive mechanisms of termite association, and dereplication of LC-HRMS/MS data sets led to the isolation of podaxisterols A-D (1-4), modified ergosterol derivatives that result from a Diels-Alder reaction with endogenous nitrosyl cyanide. Chemical structures were determined based on HRMS/MS and NMR analyses as well as X-ray crystallography. The putative origin of the endogenous fungal nitrosyl cyanide and ergosterol derivatives is discussed based on results obtained from stable isotope experiments and in silico analysis. Our "omics"-driven analysis of this underexplored yet worldwide distributed fungal genus builds a foundation for studies on a potential metabolic adaptations to diverse lifestyles.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Natural Products
Volume85
Issue number9
Pages (from-to)2159-2167
ISSN0163-3864
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022

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© 2022 American Chemical Society and American Society of Pharmacognosy.

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