Large-scale total synthesis of <Superscript>13</Superscript>C<Subscript>3</Subscript>-labeled citrinin and its metabolite dihydrocitrinone

The analysis of the nephrotoxic mycotoxin citrinin in food, feed, and physiological samples is still challenging. Nowadays, liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is the method of choice for achieving low limits of detection. But matrix effects can present impairments for this method. Stable isotope dilution analysis can prevent some of these problems. Therefore, a stable isotopically labeled standard of citrinin for use in stable isotope dilution analysis was synthesized on large scale. The improved diastereoselective total synthetic strategy offered the possibility to introduce three ¹³C-labels in two steps by ortho-toluate anion chemistry. This led to a mass difference of 3 Da, sufficient for preventing spectral overlap. Additionally, a stable isotopically labeled form of dihydrocitrinone, the main urinary metabolite of citrinin, was synthesized with the same mass difference. This was achieved by a sequence of cyclisation, oxidation, deprotection, and carboxylation reactions starting from a protected intermediate of the labeled citrinin synthesis. Thus, this method also offers a complete way to synthesize dihydrocitrinone from citrinin on large scale.     

基于适体技术的桔青毒素检测方法的建立

桔青毒素（citrinin,CTN）是以玉米、谷物、奶酪等为主要成分的食品和动物饲料中常见的、由桔青霉菌产生的酮类真菌毒素,可引起人和动物的慢性中毒或癌症,一直缺少灵敏的快速检测方法。本文通过指数富集适体系统进化技术（简称SELEX）对可能与CTN结合的特异性适体进行了筛选,经过15轮循环,得到17条适体。通过二级结构分析、亲和力检测发现适体13（Apt-13）对CTN有较好的亲和度,解离常数Kd为0.06μmol/L。进一步利用非荧光标记染料PicoGreen,利用其与双链DNA结合的原理,建立了桔青毒素非标记荧光检测方法,30min完成检测,最低检测限达到国家标准（50ppb）且与其他毒素无交叉反应。本研究建立的基于适体的桔青毒素检测技术成本低,可以替代传统的基于抗体的检测方法,为霉菌毒素的精准检测技术的开发提供了实验证据。     

Production of lipase free of citrinin by Penicillium citrinum

Lipase (Glycerol ester hydrolase E.G. 3.1.1.3) from a Brazilian strain of Penicillium citrinum free of the mycotoxin citrinin has been investigated. Citrinin production was inhibited by using culture medium containing olive oil, soybean oil and corn oil as carbon sources. Potassium concentration and pH play an important role in citrinin production. Potassium concentration lower than 30 mM and pH below 4.5 inhibited the mycotoxin production. P. citrinum produced lipase free of extraneous proteins and citrinin when cultured using, as nitrogen source, ammonium sulphate (lipase activity of 7.88 U/mg) and yeast extract (lipase activity of 4.95 U/mg) with olive oil as carbon source. This data is relevant to the larger scale production of lipases for food technology applications, from Penicillium citrinum.     

红曲霉桔霉素的检测方法及红曲霉产桔霉素的判别方法*

建立了红曲霉真菌毒素桔霉素的HPLC检测方法。用谷氨酸和葡萄糖为唯一氮、碳源的培养基(MSG)液态摇瓶培养及红曲米固态培养,对30多株红曲霉产桔霉素的情况进行了普查,发现大多数红曲霉菌种可产生桔霉素。红曲霉的培养状态及条件对桔霉素的产生有重大影响。红曲霉菌种是否产桔霉素,可根据MSG培养基摇瓶发酵液中是否含有桔霉素来初步定性判断,为准确判断红曲霉菌是否产桔霉素,可采用多种培养法综合判断。     

Natural occurrence of ochratoxin A and citrinin in food stuffs in Egypt

Natural occurrence of ochratoxin A (OA) and citrinin in cereals (274 samples) and animal tissues (250 samples) have been investigated during a period of more than 2 years. OA was found in cereals and animal tissues while citrinin was found in cereals only. The highest level of OA (up to 80.0 μg/kg) was found in yellow corn, 52.8% of contaminated samples while respectively 55.9% and 39.4% of barley and rice samples were contaminated with citrinin, with the highest level up to 100.0 and 27.92 μg/kg for barley and rice respectively. The frequent contamination of animal kidney with OA (28% positive out of 150 tested) average concentration 12.33 μg/kg. 2% of liver and 4% of muscles tissue were observed.     

红曲中桔霉素的检测及控制

红曲是指以大米为原料,用红曲菌属（Monascusspp．）红曲霉发酵培养制得,具有红色的颗粒或用其制成的粉末。目前红曲可分为色曲、酒曲和功能性红曲。在红曲霉的发酵过程中,同时与红曲色素相伴产生一种有害的次级代谢产物一桔霉素。研究表明桔霉素具有肾毒性,可致畸、致癌和诱发基因突变。桔霉素的存在,制约了红曲在食品及药品方面的广泛应用,在一定程度上阻碍了红曲产业的发展。为此,在红曲生产中如何快速准确检测桔霉素以及有效地防控桔霉素,是我们当前迫切需要解决的问题。本文对近年来国内外红曲中桔霉素的检测方法及控制策略进展进行了综述。目前,桔霉素的检测方法主要有抑菌圈法、TLC法、酶联免疫法和HPLC法等,其中HPLC法是检测红曲中桔霉素高效且应用最广泛的方法。桔霉素的控制主要从菌种选育,发酵工艺及产品后续处理等方面进行调控。目前尚没有成熟的控制策略全部去除桔霉素,只有采用低产桔霉素的菌种,适合的生产工艺及结合后续的物理或化学处理等综合措施,生产出符合桔霉素控制标准的高品质红曲产品。     

A major decomposition product, citrinin H2, from citrinin on heating with moisture

Citrinin is one of the mycotoxins produced by Penicillium citrinum. We examined the decomposition products after heating citrinin in water at 140 degrees C and isolated a major product, citrinin H2 (3-(3,5-dihydroxy-2-methylphenyl)-2-formyloxy-butane). Citrinin H2 did not show significant cytotoxicity to HeLa cells up to a concentration of 200 microg/ml (% cytotoxicity: 39%) in 63 h of incubation, but citrinin showed severe toxicity at a concentration of 25 microg/ml (% cytotoxicity: 73%). HPLC analysis of citrinin after heating under various conditions indicates that citrinin H2 is mainly yielded from citrinin.     

Uptake,translocation and persistence of mycotoxins in rice seedlings

The mycotoxins citrinin, patulin and terreic acid are absorbed by rice seedling roots and translocated to shoots. Ten day analysis of toxin treated plants showed persistence of citrinin, patulin and terreic acid. All three toxins at a concentration of 100 ppm showed phytotoxic activity indicating terreic acid in addition to citrinin and patulin as phytotoxins.     

Detection of citrinin in ochratoxin A-containing products by a new HPLC method

A new method for citrinin was developed and validated, which is based on solid phase extraction with polyamide columns and HPLC with fluorescence detection. Sufficient skill with the method given, precise results, i.e. variation coefficients <10%, will be achieved. The mean recovery rates were in the range 74 – 90%. The detection limits of the method determined according to DIN 32645, at good precision, were 1 μg/kg for wheat, rye, barley, maize, and oats. The analysis of several samples containing ochratoxin A (OTA) showed that citrinin is present in brans, wheatings and shorts containing a higher ratio of the outer layers of the grain kernel; both OTA and citrinin were found in in cocoa shells and raisins. Citrinin was detected in 14 OTA-containing samples (1–8 μg/kg). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that citrinin also can be determined in red mold rice according to the new method. Presented at the 25^th Mykotoxin Workshop in Giessen, Germany, May 19–21, 2003     

Rapid semi-quantitative fluorimetric determination of citrinin in fungal cultures isolated from cheese and cheese factories

A new rapid semi-quantitative fluorimetric assay for citrinin production testing in mould cultures has been developed. The chemical structure of the citrinin makes it a weak native fluorophore. This fluorescence can be strongly enhanced in an acidic environment. A standard curve where the concentration of HCl needed to show the yellow fluorescence signal of different concentrations of citrinin was established, thus providing a semi-quantitative method to prove the capacity of toxin production of fungal cultures. Two Penicillium strains from the Spanish National Collection of Type Cultures, were studied for the toxin production on YES broth at 25°C for 21 d. The culture was assayed daily for the presence/absence and quantification of citrinin by adding the HCl concentration set, and also quantified by RP-HPLC as a confirmation procedure. Experiments demonstrate that 5 d are necessary to show the presence of citrinin. As an illustration, a total of 48 strains of Penicillium isolated from cheese and cheese factories were analysed with the proposed method.     

红曲霉发酵液中桔霉素快速检测方法的优化

研究确立了一种高效液相色谱法,能有效地对红曲霉代谢产物中的桔霉素分离和定量分析。色谱柱:Shimadzu VP-ODS C18(5μm,250 mm×4.6 mm),流动相组成为V(乙腈):V(甲醇):V(水)=70:10:20,pH≤2.8。荧光检测器:λex=331 nm,λem=500 nm。在优化的色谱条件下绘制标准曲线,当桔霉素质量浓度为0.1 mg.L-1~1 mg.L-1时线性关系良好,R2=0.9992。对桔霉素标品的最低检测质量浓度为0.01 mg.L-1,在红曲霉发酵样品中的定量回收率达到了0.9187722~1.029138。     

Pathogenicity of Fusarium avenaceum Isolates from Cereals and their Ability to Produce Substance with Yellow Fluorescence

Fusarium avenaceum isolates from wheat, rye, barley, triticale, corn and potato formed substance with yellow fluorescence with properties similar to citrinin. Pathogenicity of 17 isolates tested against cereals seedlings was weaker than F. culmorum isolates; one isolate only was strong, two medium and the remaining 82 % were very weak or non pathogenic.     

Natural occurrence of the mycotoxin viomellein in barley and the associated quinone-producing penicillia.

In a batch of barley associated with field cases of mycotoxic porcine nephropathy and containing ochratoxin A and citrinin, the mycoflora were isolated by parallel incubation at 10 and 25 degrees C. Subsequently, the isolated cultures were checked for production of nephrotoxins (xanthomegnin, viomellein, ochratoxin, and citrinin). The nephrotoxin producers, all isolated by incubation at 10 degrees C, were comprised of one culture of Penicillium viridicatum, five cultures of Penicillium cyclopium, and one culture of Penicillium crustosum, all producing xanthomegnin and viomellein. One culture of P. cyclopium produced citrinin. Viomellein was detected in the barley at a concentration of approximately 1 mg/kg. The method of analysis for xanthomegnin and viomellein included extraction with chloroform, partitioning in hexane-acetone, and thin-layer chromatographic separation and identification. The identity of the xanthomegnin and viomellein produced by the isolated fungi and of viomellein detected in the barley was supported by infrared spectroscopy. This is the first report of viomellein as a natural contaminant of foodstuffs.     

红曲菌cDNA消减文库的构建

应用抑制性消减杂交技术,构建红曲菌产桔霉素和不产桔霉素差异表达的cDNA消减文库.分别从产桔霉素和不产桔霉素的红曲菌丝体中提取mRNA,依次合成单链和双链cDNA,经酶切成大小为250～750bp的片断,将产桔霉素的cDNA分为两组,分别与两种不同的接头连接,再与不产桔霉素的红曲菌的cDNA进行两次消减杂交及两次抑制性PCR后,将产物与T/A载体连接构建成功cDNA消减文库,并转染大肠杆菌进行文库扩增,文库扩增后得到283个克隆,经PCR法快速测定,均得到250～750bp的插入片断.所构建的红曲菌cDNA消减文库为进一步筛选红曲菌中与产桔霉素性状相关的基因奠定了基础.     

Natural occurrence of the mycotoxin viomellein in barley and the associated quinone-producing penicillia

In a batch of barley associated with field cases of mycotoxic porcine nephropathy and containing ochratoxin A and citrinin, the mycoflora were isolated by parallel incubation at 10 and 25 degrees C. Subsequently, the isolated cultures were checked for production of nephrotoxins (xanthomegnin, viomellein, ochratoxin, and citrinin). The nephrotoxin producers, all isolated by incubation at 10 degrees C, were comprised of one culture of Penicillium viridicatum, five cultures of Penicillium cyclopium, and one culture of Penicillium crustosum, all producing xanthomegnin and viomellein. One culture of P. cyclopium produced citrinin. Viomellein was detected in the barley at a concentration of approximately 1 mg/kg. The method of analysis for xanthomegnin and viomellein included extraction with chloroform, partitioning in hexane-acetone, and thin-layer chromatographic separation and identification. The identity of the xanthomegnin and viomellein produced by the isolated fungi and of viomellein detected in the barley was supported by infrared spectroscopy. This is the first report of viomellein as a natural contaminant of foodstuffs.     

红曲桔霉素的控制对策

红曲的药用价值和保健功能日益引人关注,然而红曲中桔霉素的存在严重制约着红曲产品的开发,如何降低红曲桔霉素的含量是一个迫切需要解决的问题。本文概述了红曲桔霉素的毒性、生物合成途径及相关标准。并结合国内外研究进展,从发酵工艺,诱变育种,基因工程三个层面阐述了控制红曲桔霉素产生的对策,并对桔霉素今后的研究方向进行了展望。     

Citrinin in fruit juices

Despite the wide distribution of citrinin-producingPenicillium spp. there are only rare reports about the occurence of this mycotoxin in foodstuffs. Particularly, the discrepancy between the common detection of the applerotting fungusP expansum and the complete lack of data about the occurrence of citrinin in apple-based foods is noteworthy. Based on an indirect enzyme immunoassay (EIA) a study was performed aiming at the sensitive detection of citrinin in apple and other fruit juices. The direct analysis of diluted apple juices by the EIA failed due to pronounced sample matrix effects. Though these problems could be resolved by the extraction of artificially contaminated apple juice with dichloromethane, a poor recovery rate (20–30%) for citrinin was observed. Astonishingly, similar results (mean recovery of 29.9%) were received when doted apple juices were directly purified on immunoaffinity columns despite the minimal sample treatment associated with this method. For the detection of citrinin in tomatoe juices samples were purified with a liquid-liquid partition step. Again, the mean recovery rate was very low (32.0%). Analyzing 55 fruit and vegetable juices purchased in local retail stores only traces of citrinin (maximum 0.2 μg/L) could be detected in the samples.     

Antibiotic Y: biosynthesis by Fusarium avenaceum (Corda ex Fries) Sacc., isolation, and some physicochemical and biological properties.

A compound very similar to the mycotoxin citrinin was observed on thin-layer chromatographic plates during the screening analysis of grain extracts. This compound was produced by 22 of the tested Fusarium avenaceum (Corda ex Fries) Sacc. strains isolated from wheat, triticale, barley, corn, and potatoes. A chemical test confirmed the presence of an unknown compound, which was given the preliminary name of antibiotic Y (indicating yellow fluorescence). The following properties of the new metabolite are described: spectroscopic (UV, infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, fluorescence, and mass spectrometry), phytotoxic, antibiotic (inhibitory effect of bacterial growth), and toxic (toxicity to Artemia salina, chicken embryos, and mouse fibroblasts). Elemental analysis of the compound showed that it had the general formula C15H10O8, in agreement with the mass spectrometric finding that the molecular ion had a molecular weight of 318. The structure of the compound is presently under study.     

Antibiotic Y: biosynthesis by Fusarium avenaceum (Corda ex Fries) Sacc., isolation, and some physicochemical and biological properties

A compound very similar to the mycotoxin citrinin was observed on thin-layer chromatographic plates during the screening analysis of grain extracts. This compound was produced by 22 of the tested Fusarium avenaceum (Corda ex Fries) Sacc. strains isolated from wheat, triticale, barley, corn, and potatoes. A chemical test confirmed the presence of an unknown compound, which was given the preliminary name of antibiotic Y (indicating yellow fluorescence). The following properties of the new metabolite are described: spectroscopic (UV, infrared, proton nuclear magnetic resonance, fluorescence, and mass spectrometry), phytotoxic, antibiotic (inhibitory effect of bacterial growth), and toxic (toxicity to Artemia salina, chicken embryos, and mouse fibroblasts). Elemental analysis of the compound showed that it had the general formula C15H10O8, in agreement with the mass spectrometric finding that the molecular ion had a molecular weight of 318. The structure of the compound is presently under study.