Aims: To identify a new fungal strain, Hypocrea sp. F000527 producing a trichothecene metabolite, harzianum A, and to evaluate its cytotoxicity to tumour cell lines.
Methods and results: A fungal strain, F000527, with cytotoxic activity was identified as a new Hypocrea strain based on morphological characteristics and internal transcribed spacers rDNA sequence data. Harzianum A was isolated from wheat bran culture by 50% acetone extraction, silica gel chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 chromatography and HPLC. The chemical structures were determined by ESI- or HRFAB-MS and (1)H and (13)C-NMR analyses. Harzianum A showed cytotoxicity to HT1080 and HeLa cell lines with IC(50) value of 0.65 and 5.07 Łg ml(-1) respectively.
Conclusions: Harzianum A with a chemical formula of C(23)H(28)O(6) was isolated from a new Hypocrea strain and showed moderate to strong cytotoxicity to human cancer cell lines.
Significance and impact of the study: This is the first report of the production of cytotoxic harzianum A by a new Hypocrea strain.