Sesquiterpenoids Specially Produced by Fungi: Structures, Biological Activities, Chemical and Biosynthesis (2015–2020)

Abstract

Fungi are widely distributed in the terrestrial environment, freshwater, and marine habitat. Only approximately 100,000 of these have been classified although there are about 5.1 million characteristic fungi all over the world. These eukaryotic microbes produce specialized metabolites and participate in a variety of ecological functions, such as quorum detection, chemical defense, allelopathy, and maintenance of symbiosis. Fungi therefore remain an important resource for the screening and discovery of biologically active natural products. Sesquiterpenoids are arguably the richest natural products from plants and micro-organisms. The rearrangement of the 15 high-ductility carbons gave rise to a large number of different skeletons. At the same time, abundant structural variations lead to a diversification of biological activity. This review examines the isolation, structural determination, bioactivities, and synthesis of sesquiterpenoids that were specially produced by fungi over the past five years (2015–2020).

Secondary Metabolites from Coral-Associated Fungi: Source, Chemistry and Bioactivities

“…Previous research revealed that approximately 500 new sesquiterpenes, including about 20 new skeletons, were characterized from fungi during a five-year period (2015~2020) [ 14 ]. Soft coral-associated fungi are reported to be a rich source of sesquiterpenes.…”

The Norsesquiterpene Glycoside Ptaquiloside as a Poisonous, Carcinogenic Component of Certain Ferns

“…The sesquiterpenes form one of the richest groups of secondary metabolites in plant and fungal world; the C 15 structure allows many variations, which also causes the diversification of biological effects [ 8 ]. The name of the illudane type comes from the world of fungi, as similar molecules (illudin M and illudin S ( Figure 3 ) are the components of some poisonous mushroom species ( Omphalotus illudens, O. olearius ).…”

“…The name of the illudane type comes from the world of fungi, as similar molecules (illudin M and illudin S ( Figure 3 ) are the components of some poisonous mushroom species ( Omphalotus illudens, O. olearius ). The number of illudane-type sesquiterpenes described from mushrooms is increasing due to intensive research [ 8 ].…”

“…The reactions for the formation of mevalonic acid require several enzymes (AACT,/Acetoacetyl-coenzyme A thiolase/, HMGS/Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase/, and others). The discovery of illudins in the 1950s initiated research into this sesquiterpene group, which aims not only at the isolation of new and new molecules, their structural research, and the investigation of their biological effects, but also at the implementation of in vitro synthesis [ 8 , 13 ].…”

Antroxazole A, an oxazole-containing chamigrane dimer from the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea with immunosuppressive activity

“…Our recent review indicated that fungal sesquiterpenoids usually have novel structures as well as significant biological activities. 2 Some of them have been used in clinical research as drugs or drug lead compounds. For instance, irofulven 3 is a semi-synthetic derivative of illudin S, a toxic sesquiterpene isolated from the mushroom Omphalotus illudens .…”