Metabolites of the Marine Fungus Asperigillus varians KMM 4630

Abstract

Microscopic marine fungi are rich sources of various biologically active compounds [1-3]. In searching for these compounds in fungi isolated frm various marine habitats, we observed that the ethylacetate extract of Aspergillus varians (Wehner) KMM 4630 culture medium contained compounds with antimicrobial activity. The fungus was isolated from the bottom of Aniva Bay (Sakhalin Island, 12 m). The evaporated extract was dissolved in ethanol (70%) and extracted with hexane. The aqueous alcohol part was evaporated to an aqueous solution that was extracted with butanol. The butanol extract (820 mg) was placed on polychrom-1. The aqueous effluent (550 mg) was evaporated. Then, the active fraction was chromatographed several times over silica gel using hexane:hexane-ethylacetate (15%). Thus, we isolated 1-3, which exhibited antimicrobial activity toward gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.