The biology of ophiobolins

This review article aims at summarizing the research findings on the biological aspects of ophiobolins, phytotoxins produced by the pathogenic fungi Bipolaris species, which usually infect rice, maize and sorghum. The topics covered include the organisms that produce the various ophiobolins, the structural variations of ophiobolins, the biological actions of ophiobolins in plants, animals and microorganisms, and the mode of action and the possible use of ophiobolin A as a calmodulin antagonist. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.