Skeletocutins M-Q, biologically active compounds from the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Skeletocutis sp. collected in Africa  

During the course of screening for new metabolites from basidiomycetes, we isolated and characterized five previously undescribed secondary metabolites skeletocutins M-Q ( 1 - 5 ) along with the known metabolite tyromycin A ( 6 ) from the fruiting bodies of the polypore Skeletocutis sp. The new compounds did not exhibit any antimicrobial, cytotoxic or nematicidal activities. However, compound 3 moderately inhibited the biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus , while compounds 3 and 4 performed moderately activity in the L -leucine-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin ( L -Leu-AMC) inhibition assay. These compounds represent the first report of secondary metabolites occurring in the fruiting bodies of Skeletocutis . Interestingly, tyromycin A was found to be the only common metabolites in fruiting bodies and mycelial cultures of the fungus, and none of the recently reported skeletocutins from the culture of the same strain was detected in the basidiomes.