Mycophenolic Acid Production by Penicillium brevicompactum on Solid Media

Abstract

When grown on Czapek-Dox agar, Penicillium brevicompactum produced mycophenolic acid after a vegetative mycelium had been formed and as aerial hyphae were developing. Nutrients were still plenteous in the agar when the synthesis began. If aerial hyphal development was prevented by placing a dialysis membrane over the growing fungus, no mycophenolic acid was produced. When the dialysis membrane was peeled back and, as a consequence, production of aerial hyphae began, mycophenolic acid biosynthesis was observed. We concluded that mycophenolic acid was produced only by P. brevicompactum colonies that possessed an aerial mycelium.

Brevianamides A and B Are Formed Only After Conidiation Has Begun in Solid Cultures of Penicillium brevicompactum

“…Growth and maintenance of the organism. P. brevicompactum Dierckx (ATCC 9056) was maintained, subcultured, and grown on Czapek-Dox glucose-containing agar slants and petri dishes (10 cm) as described previously (2,9). "On-agar," "over," "between," and "stripped-between" cultures were prepared as indicated previously (2).…”

“…Analysis of solid cultures for nutrients: assay of biomass wet weight and light microscopy. The procedures for assay of biomass wet weight and light microscopy have been described previously (2). For epifluorescence microscopy, the Nikon epifluorescence attachment was employed.…”

“…Our interest in the brevianamides stemmed from our desire to determine why P. brevicompactum engages in secondary metabolism. We have shown previously that another secondary metabolite of this fungus, mycophenolic acid, is produced in solid culture only if aerial hyphae are present (2). It remained to be seen whether any similar type of association was appropriate to brevianamide A and B production.…”

Morphogenesis, ATP content and oxytetracycline production by Streptomyces rimosus in solid substrate cultivation

“…The initiation of biosynthesis is usually restricted to a specific developmental stage or to specialized cells within the organism. In Penicillium brevicompacturn, mycophenolic acid, brevianamide A, asperphenamate and ergosterol were simultaneously synthesized with development of aerial hyphae (Bartman et al 1981). Wang and Yang (1995) indicated that short-rod mycelial fragments of S. rimosus in the stationary phase had high oxytetracycline production capability in submerged cultivation.…”

Disposition of Mycophenolic Acid, Brevianamide A, Asperphenamate, and Ergosterol in Solid Cultures of Penicillium brevicompactum

“…Growth of the organism. P. brevicompactum Dierckx (ATCC 9056) was maintained and grown in a solid culture on Czapek-Dox glucose-based agar as described previously (1). "Between" cultures were prepared as described previously (1), using 4.6 x 106 spores per 10-cm petri plate.…”