Biosynthesis of naphthoquinone pigments by fungi of the genus Fusarium

We studied the biosynthesis of colored naphthoquinone metabolites by Fusarium decemcellulare, F. graminearum, and F. bulbigenum fungi. Depending on the conditions of cultivation, F bulbigenum and F. graminearum synthesized bikaverin and aurofusarin, respectively, whereas E decemcellulare synthesized soluble extracellular naphthoquinones of the naphthazarin structure (javanicin, anhydrojavanicin, fusarubin, anhydrofusarubin, bostricoidin, and novarubin) or extracellular dimeric naphthoquinone aurofusarin. The biosynthesis of naphthoquinone pigments was shown to be the main response of the fungi to stress, observed under conditions of growth inhibition or arrest.