Endophytes Crop Productivity and Protection Volume 2 (Sustainable Development and Biodiversity)

Enfumafungin (6), is a hemiacetal triterpene glycoside, isolated from

Hormonemasp. comprising in mesophyll tissue of leaves ofJuniperus communisL

(Aly et al. 2011 ). Enfumafungin is a specific inhibitor of fungal cell wall glucan

synthesis. The compound has shown in vitro antifungal activity with 0.07μM,

EC 50 value againstC. albicans(Aly et al. 2011 ). Extensive structural modifications

of the Enfumafungin resulted in the development of an orally available

semi-synthetic inhibitor derived from this fungal secondary metabolite. This inhi-

bitor, with EC 50 , 0.6 ng mL−^1 against C. albicans and 1.7 ng mL−^1 against

Aspergillus fumigatus, has entered phase I clinical trials as thefirst oral glucan

synthase inhibitor for fungal infections therapy (Motyl et al. 2010 ).

OH

N

H

O

N

OH

NH OH

O

O

NH

(CH 2 ) 14

O

OH

OH

HN

N O

OH

HO

O

HN

O

H 2 N

O

HO

(5)

O OH

O

O

O

O

O

OH

HO

HO

OH H

OH

(6)

Highly antibacterial naphthaquinone, javanicin(7), has been isolated from the

endophytic fungusChoridiumspp. from root tissues ofAzadirachta indica. The

sensitivity to javanicin with MIC value of 2μgmL−^1 showed antibacterial activity

againstPseudomonas aeruginoseandP.fluorescens(Kharwar et al. 2009 ). Phomol

(8) is a novel polyketide lactone with antibacterial, antifungal, and

anti-inflammatory activities, isolated from an endophytic Phomopsis sp. in

Argentinian medicinal plant,Erythrina crista-galli (Weber et al. 2004 ). The diter-

penoids guanacastepenes A-O, have been encountered in an unidentified endo-

phytic fungal strain CR115, occurring inDaphnopsis americana. Guanacastepenes

A(9)and I(10)exhibited antibacterial activity against drug resistant strains of

Staphylococcus aureusandEnterococcus faecalis(Brandy et al. 2001 ). Recent

discovery of two new metabolites, antibacterial active eupenicinicols A and B(11,

12), from an endophytic fungus,Eupenicilliumsp. harbored in the roots of a

Chinese medicinal plant,Xanthium sibiricumshowed the unfailing potential of

endophytes as probable antimicrobial agents (Li et al. 2014 ).

9 Endophytic Fungi: A Remarkable Source... 197