Aphidicolin is a tetracyclic

diterpene Diterpenes are a class of chemical compounds composed of four isoprene units, often with the molecular formula C20H32. They are biosynthesized by plants, animals and fungi via the HMG-CoA reductase pathway, with geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate being ...

antibiotic isolated from the fungus '' Cephalosporum aphidicola'' with antiviral and antimitotic properties. Aphidicolin is a reversible inhibitor of

eukaryotic Eukaryotes () are organisms whose Cell (biology), cells have a cell nucleus, nucleus. All animals, plants, fungi, and many unicellular organisms, are Eukaryotes. They belong to the group of organisms Eukaryota or Eukarya, which is one of the ...

nuclear DNA replication. It blocks the cell cycle at early S phase. It is a specific inhibitor of

DNA polymerase Alpha DNA polymerase alpha also known as ''Pol α'' is an enzyme complex found in eukaryotes that is involved in initiation of DNA replication. The DNA polymerase alpha complex consists of 4 subunits: POLA1, POLA2, PRIM1, and PRIM2. Pol α has lim ...

and

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also ...

in eukaryotic cells and in some viruses (

vaccinia ''Vaccinia virus'' (VACV or VV) is a large, complex, enveloped virus belonging to the poxvirus family. It has a linear, double-stranded DNA genome approximately 190 kbp in length, which encodes approximately 250 genes. The dimensions of the ...

and herpesviruses) and an apoptosis inducer in

HeLa HeLa (; also Hela or hela) is an immortalized cell line used in scientific research. It is the oldest and most commonly used human cell line. The line is derived from cervical cancer cells taken on February 8, 1951, named after Henrietta ...

cells. Natural aphidicolin is a secondary metabolite of the fungus '' Nigrospora oryzae''.Aphidicolin product page
from

Fermentek Fermentek Ltd. is a biotechnological company in the Atarot industrial zone of Jerusalem, Israel. It specializes in the research, development and manufacture of biologically active, natural products isolated from microorganisms as well as from ot ...

Bibliography

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References

Antibiotics Transferase inhibitors Diterpenes Cyclopentanes DNA polymerase inhibitors {{organic-compound-stub