Beauvericin: Chemical and Biological Aspects and Occurence

Abstract

Bovericin (BEA) ciklički je heksadepsipeptid koji sintetiziraju Beauveria bassiana, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, Paecilomyces tenuipes i Polyporus sulphureus te velik broj vrsta Fusarium. Ovaj mikotoksin ima antimikrobno, insekticidno, citotoksično i apoptotsko djelovanje, a specifični je inhibitor kolesterolaciltransferaze. Biološko djelovanje BEA povezano je s njegovom mogućnošću tvorbe kompleksa s esencijalnim kationima (Ca2+, Na+, K+) čime povećava propusnost membrane za te ione i narušava ionsku homeostazu. Bovericin je nađen u uzorcima kukuruza iz različitih zemalja, uključujući i Hrvatsku te je utvrđena ko-kontaminacija s drugim fuzariotoksinima (fumonizini, moniliformin) i okratoksinom A. Biološka aktivnost BEA mogla bi povećati toksičnost drugih mikotoksina koji se istodobno pojavljuju u hrani. Uloga BEA u razvoju mikotoksikoza u ljudi i životinja još je uvijek nepoznata.Beauvericin (BEA) is a cyclic hexadepsipeptide produced by Beauveria bassiana, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, Paecilomyces tenuipes, Polyporus sulphurous, and a variety of Fusarium species. This mycotoxin shows antimicrobial, insecticidal, cytotoxic, and apoptotic activity. It is the most potent specific inhibitor of cholesterol acyltransferase and possesses ionophoric properties. BEA increases ion permeability in biological membranes by forming a complex with essential cations (Ca2+, Na+, K+), which may affect the ionic homeostasis. BEA has been frequently found in maize samples in Europe, USA and Africa and co-contamination with other Fusarium toxins such as fumonisins, and moniliformin was also found. There is only one report of BEA occurrence and co-occurrence with fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2 and ochratoxin A in Croatia. Biological activity of BEA may increase the toxicity of other mycotoxins that co-occur with BEA in food. The role of BEA in the development of human and animal mycotoxicosis is still unknown