Biosynthesis of the meroterpenoid metabolite, andilesin A, by Aspergillus variecolor: origins of the oxygen atoms

Abstract

The origins of all the oxygen atoms in andilesin A (1) have been determined by labelling studies with [1-¹³C, ¹⁸O₂]acetate, ¹⁸O₂, and ethyl 3,5-dimethylorsellinate doubly-labelled with ¹³C and ¹⁸O at the carbonyl group and at C-6; the results suggest a biosynthetic pathway in which andilesin A(1) is dehydrated to give andilesin B (2) which is then reduced to andilesin C (3).