Bikaverin is a fungal metabolite originally isolated from F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici that has diverse biological activities, including antiprotozoal, nematocidal, antiproliferative, and fungicidal properties.1,2,3,4 It is active against L. braziliensis when used at a concentration of 0.15 μg/ml and against B. xylophilus at a concentration of 100 μg/ml.2 It inhibits proliferation of NCI-H460, MIA PaCa-2, MCF-7, and SF-268 cells (IC50s = 0.43, 0.26, 0.42, and 0.38 μM, respectively).3 Bikaverin inhibits the growth of certain plant pathogenic fungi, including R. solani, P. capsici, P. infestans, and M. grisea (IC50s = <1.2, 10, 60, and 70 μg/ml, respectively).4 It inhibits the development and provides disease control of tomato late blight and wheat leaf rust caused by P. infestans and P. recondita, respectively, when applied at a concentration of 300 μg/ml.
References
1. Nord, F.F. Structure of some Fusarium pigments and their action. Intern. Congr. Biochem., Abstrs. of Communs. 1st Congr. Cambridge, Engl. 243-244 (1949).
2. LimÓn, M.C., RodrÍguez-Ortiz, R., and Avalos, J. Bikaverin production and applications. Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 87(1), 21-29 (2010).
3. Zhan, J., Burns, A.M., Liu, M.X., et al. Search for cell motility and angiogenesis inhibitors with potential anticancer activity: Beauvericin and other constituents of two endophytic strains of Fusarium oxysporum. J. Nat. Prod. 70(2), 227-232 (2007).
4. Son, S.W., Kim, H.Y., Choi, G.J., et al. Bikaverin and fusaric acid from Fusarium oxysporum show antioomycete activity against Phytophthora infestans. J. Appl. Microbiol. 104(3), 692-698 (2008).