Cyclic dipeptides produced by fungus Eupenicillium brefeldianum HMP-F96 induced extracellular alkalinization and H2O 2 production in tobacco cell suspensions.

Extracellular alkalinization and H2O2 production are important early events during induced systemic resistance (ISR) establishment in plants. In a screen for metabolites as potential ISR activators from 98 fungal isolates associated with marine sponge Hymeniacidon perleve, the crude metabolites of fungus Eupenicillium brefeldianum HMP-F96 induced significant extracellular alkalinization coupled with H2O2 production in tobacco cell suspensions. A combined bioactivity and (1)H NMR-guided fractionation approach was used to disclose the chemical determinants responsible for the activities. Eight cyclic dipeptides were purified from the fermentation broth of the strain and were structurally characterized by NMR and MS experiments. This study represents the first report of the occurrence of cyclic dipeptides in E. brefeldianum and of their activities of inducing extracellular alkalinization and H2O2 production in tobacco cell suspensions.