Fungus Penicillium citrinum, isolated from permafrost sediments, as a producer of ergot alkaloids and new quinoline alkaloids quinocitrinines

Quinocitrinines and ergot alkaloids are synthesized by the strain Penicillium citrinum VKM FW-800 as the culture grows. The major part of these secondary metabolites are secreted into the medium. In the phase of growth deceleration, these metabolites were partly absorbed by the producer cells. Zinc ions stimulated both the primary and secondary metabolic processes. Addition of this microelement into the culture medium stimulated biomass accumulation and the synthesis of clavine alkaloids and quinocitrinines.