EFRAPEPTIN PRODUCTION BY TOLYPOCLADIUM FUNGI (DEUTEROMYCOTINA, HYPHOMYCETES) - INTRASPECIFIC AND INTERSPECIFIC VARIATION

Production of the mitochondrial ATPase inhibitory peptides efrapeptins was evaluated by HPLC analysis in 44 strains of nine species of the fungal genus Tolypocladium (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes). Efrapeptin identification was confirmed by mass spectral data for the first time in the species T. cylindrosporum. HPLC retention time data indicated that T. nubicola and T. tundrense, two species not previously known to produce efrapeptins, also produce the peptides. No efrapeptins were detected (< 0.3 mg/100 ml broth) in single strains each of T. balanoides, T. extinguens, T. parasiticum, and T. microsporum. Five strains of T. geodes produced detectable amounts of efrapeptins and had compound F, or F and G, as the major component(s) in the mixture with the order of abundance being F > or is similar to G > H is similar to D is similar to E > C. Eleven strains of T. niveum produced detectable amounts of efrapeptins and had efrapeptins D and E as the primary and secondary components, respectively, in the mixture with the order of abundance being D > E > F > C is similar to G. A single T. niveum strain had an efrapeptin profile similar to that of the T. geodes strains. Ten strains of T. cylindrosporum had detectable amounts of efrapeptins. Of these, nine had F and one had G as the major component. T. cylindrosporum had higher ratios of E to D than did T. geodes. Efrapeptins were detected in one of two T. nubicola strains analyzed (F > G > H) and one of three T. tundrense strains (F > G > H > E). T. niveum strains could, in most cases, be identified to species on the basis of their efrapeptin profiles.