Bioconversion of possible T-2 toxin precursors by a mutant strain of Fusarium sporotrichioides NRRL 3299

Liquid cultures of a mutant strain of Fusarium sporotrichioides NRRL 3299 that accumulates trichodiene rather than T-2 toxin converted tricho-9-ene-2 alpha,3 alpha,11 alpha-triol, trichotriol (tricho-10-ene-2 alpha,3 alpha,9 alpha-triol), tricho-10-ene-2 alpha,3 alpha,9 beta-triol, 3 alpha-hydroxytrichothecene, and 3 alpha-acetoxytrichothecene to T-2 toxin. Other possible oxygenated precursors of T-2 toxin, including trichodiol (tricho-10-ene-2 alpha,9 alpha-diol), trichothecene, 4 alpha-hydroxytrichothecene, and 15-hydroxytrichothecene, were not metabolized. The results indicate that in the biosynthesis of T-2 toxin by F. sporotrichioides, (i) oxygenation at C-3 occurs prior to the second cyclization, (ii) this second cyclization involves two steps that may be nonenzymatic, and (iii) oxidation at C-3 precedes that at C-4 or C-15.