Phthalates production from Curvularia senegalensis (Speg.) Subram, a fungal species associated to crops of commercial value

Abstract

The fungal species Curvularia senegalensis was isolated from a soil sample collected at a Brazilian region of cerrado transition. This microorganism was grown in vitro and the extract of the culture medium was fractionated by chromatographic methods yielding an oil rich in phthalates, from which seven derivatives were identified by infrared, 1H and 13C NMR and mass spectrometry as 1-hexyl-2-propylphthalate, 1-ethyl-2-heptylphthalate, 1-hexyl-2-butylphthalate, 1-heptyl-2-proylphthalate, 1-propyl-2-nonylphthalate and two positional isomers of 1-decyl-2-butane phthalate. This is the first report on the phthalates production by Curvularia senegalensis revealing a scientific basis for the use of this species on biodegradation experiments. Since C. senegalensis is a very common pathogen in some commercial crops, presence of highly toxic phthalates on the final feed products should be investigated.

Thinking big about small beings – the (yet) underdeveloped microbial natural products chemistry in Brazil

“…This strain produced an oil rich in phthalates, seven of which (180)(181)(182)(183)(184)(185)(186) have been identi-ed by infrared and mass spectrometry analyses. 79 Roridin A (187) was isolated from cultures of Trichoderma sp. obtained from the sponge Mycale angulosa and identied by analysis of spectroscopic data.…”