A investigação do extrato orgânico produzido na fermentação microbiológica de Penicillium sp. H9318 conduziu ao isolamento de um novo alcaloide isoquinolínico, o composto (5S)-3,4,5,7-tetrametil-5,8-di-hidróxi-6(5H)-isoquinolinona (1), juntamente com quatro outros conhecidos compostos derivados da citrinina (2-5). Uma atividade inibitória significativa no ensaio da inibição da formação dos halos (HFI), foi exibida pela citrinina (2), semelhante àquela observada pelo Streptomyces 85E, enquanto os compostos 1, 3, 4 e 5 não mostraram atividade inibitória com respeito ao ensaio HFI quando testados com 20 mg/disco. Em relação ao ensaio de citotoxicidade, a citrinina (2) demonstrou uma atividade inibitória mais fraca quando comparada as linhagens de células cancerosas MCF-7 (IC 50 71,93 µmol L -1 ), LNCaP (IC 50 77,92 µmol L -1 ), LU-1 (147,85 µmol L -1 ) e KB (IC 50 65,93 µmol L -1 ).Investigation of a microbial fermentation organic extract of Penicillium sp. H9318 led to the isolation of a new isoquinolinone alkaloid, (5S)-3,4,5,7-tetramethyl-5,8-dihydroxyl-6(5H)-isoquinolinone (1), along with four known citrinin derivatives (2-5). Citrinin (2) exhibited significant inhibitory activity against Streptomyces 85E in the hyphae formation inhibition (HFI) assay, while compounds 1, 3-5 were not active when tested at 20 mg/disk in the HFI assay. Citrinin (2) further demonstrated a weak inhibitory activity against MCF-7 (IC 50 71.93 µmol L -1 ), LNCaP (IC 50 77.92 µmol L -1 ), LU-1 (147.85 µmol L -1 ) and KB (IC 50 65.93 µmol L -1 ) cell lines, respectively, in the cytotoxicity assay.

Aim:  To identify novel microbial inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 (PP1). Methods and Results:  750 actinomycetes and 408 microfungi were isolated from Sabah forest soils and screened for production of potential PP1 inhibitors using an in vivo screening system, in which candidate inhibitors were identified through mimicking the properties of PP1‐deficient yeast cells. Acetone extracts of two fungi, H9318 (Penicillium) and H9978 (non‐Penicillium) identified in this way showed inhibitory activity towards both mammalian PP1 and PP2A in an in vitro phosphatase assay, while extract from H7520 (Streptomyces) inhibited PP2A but not PP1. Consistently, using a drug‐induced haploinsufficiency test, strains with either reduced PP1 or PP2A function were hypersensitive to H9318 and H9978 extracts whereas only the latter strain showed hypersensitivity to H7250 extract. H9318 extract was fractionated using RP‐HPLC into two active peaks (S1 and S2). A yeast strain with reduced PP1 function showed hypersensitivity to fraction S2 whereas a strain with reduced PP2A function was hypersensitive to fraction S1. However, S1 and S2 inhibited both PP1 and PP2A activities to a similar extent. Conclusion:  Three candidate PP inhibitors have been identified. Significance and Impact of the Study:  Further development may generate useful research tools and ultimately therapeutic agents.