Aflatoxins from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. Y-2 isolated from the critically endangered conifer Abies beshanzuensis

Abstract

Two new [asperxins A (1) and B (2)] and four known (3–6) aflatoxins were isolated and identified from the endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. Y-2, which was derived from the needles of the critically endangered conifer Abies beshanzuensis. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods. Among the isolates, compounds 1 and 5 showed considerable cytotoxicities against the A549 and Hela human cancer cell lines, with IC₅₀ values in the range of 7.5–16.8 μM.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Abies beshanzuensis
• endophytic fungus
• Aspergillus sp.
• aflatoxins
• cytotoxicity

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by NSFC grants (Nos. 21937002, 81773599), and National Science and Technology Major Project for New Drug Research and Development of MOST (2019ZX09735002-005).