Echinocandin B, a

lipopeptide A lipopeptide is a molecule consisting of a lipid connected to a peptide. They are able to self-assemble into different structures. Many bacteria produced these molecules as a part of their metabolism, especially those of the genus ''Bacillus'', ' ...

, is a naturally occurring cyclic hexapeptide with a linoleoyl side chain. It belongs to a class of antifungal agents called

echinocandin Echinocandins are a class of antifungal drugs that inhibit the synthesis of β-glucan in the fungal cell wall via noncompetitive inhibition of the enzyme 1,3-β glucan synthase. The class has been termed the " penicillin of antifungals," along ...

s, which inhibits the synthesis of glucan, a major component of the fungal cell wall, via noncompetitive inhibition of a crucial

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products ...

, β-(1→3)-D-glucan synthase. Echinocandin B is a fermentation product of ''

Aspergillus nidulans ''Aspergillus nidulans'' (also called ''Emericella nidulans'' when referring to its sexual form, or teleomorph) is one of many species of filamentous fungi in the phylum Ascomycota. It has been an important research organism for studying eukaryo ...

'' and the closely related species, ''A. rugulosus''; discovered in 1974 in ''A. nidulans'' var. ''echinulatus'' strain A 32204 in Germany, it was the first of the

class of antifungals. Echinocandin B can undergo deacylation (removal of the lipid side chain) by the action of a deacylase enzyme from the filamentous bacterium '' Actinoplanes utahensis'', which catalyzes the cleavage of the linoleoyl side chain; in three subsequent synthetic steps, including a chemical reacylation, the antifungal drug

anidulafungin Anidulafungin (International nonproprietary name, INN) (trade names Eraxis, Ecalta) is a Semisynthesis, semisynthetic echinocandin used as an antifungal medication, antifungal drug. It was previously known as LY303366. It may also have applicatio ...

is synthesized.

References

External links

* {{Commonscatinline Antifungals Echinocandins Hexapeptides Cyclic peptides