TRANSFORMATION OF ISOVELLERAL BY THE PARASITIC FUNGUS CALCARISPORIUM ARBUSCULA

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0031-9422(88)80659-9

The fungus Calcarisporium arbuscula, a parasite in fruit bodies of species of Russlaceae, resists high concentrations of the antifungal sesquiterpene isovelleral, a suggested defence compound formed enzymatically in many of ist hosts as a response to injury.This insensitivity is suggested to be due to the ability of C. arbuscula to transform isovelleral primarily to the reduced derivative isovellerol.Another fungicolous fungus, Amblyosporium spongiosum, which grows on the surface of the fruit bodies of many Basidiomycetes (including Russulaceae), also tolerates high concentrations of isovelleral, but does not transform the compound to the extent of more than a few per cent.Key Words Index - Calcarisporium arbuscula, Amblyosporium spongiosum; parasitic fungi; Russulaceae; isovelleral; isovellerol.