In vitro transformation of the tremorgenic mycotoxin verruculogen.

A quantity of 50 mg of crystalline verruculogen was prepared from batch cultures ofAspergillus fumigatus for the use in thein vitro studies with S-9 liver fractions, feces suspensions, and cultures ofEscherichia coli.Incubation of verruculogen with S-9 liver fractions from swine resulted in the transformation of the parent compound into TR-2 toxin and 3 other more polar.TR-2 toxin was also shown to be the main transformation product when incubat-ing verruculogen with fecal suspensions or pure cultures ofE. coli (0149: K88). Incubation times of more than 2 hours led to a complete degradation of verruculogen as well as TR -2 toxin.