Chemistry of Bioactive Compounds

Chemistry of Bioactive Compounds

Chemistry of Bioactive Compounds
Search for bioactive organic compounds produced by microorganisms and plants, i.e., highly-functionalized compounds, and study on microbial conversion of these highly-functionalized compounds from low-functional compounds.

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	Prof. KANZAKI Hiroshi E-mail: hkanzaki@(okayama-u.ac.jp) Applied Microbiology, Natural Products, Chemistry, Enzyme Chemistry Directory of Researchers

Recently, we have been developing highly-functionalized materials through microbial conversion of unutilized or waste biomass, such as olive leaves and wine pomace, using the diverse and specific enzymatic activities of koji molds in solid-state culture.

	Prof. NITODA Teruhiko E-mail: nitoda@(okayama-u.ac.jp) Applied Microbiology, Natural Products, Chemistry, Enzyme Chemistry Directory of Researchers

In the course of search for new inhibitors of β-N-acetylglucosaminidase, a chitinolytic enzyme, a fungal strain Pochonia suchlasporia was found to produce a novel and potent β-N-acetylglucosaminidase inhibitor pochonicine in solid-state fermentation using a plant-based solid medium. Recently, this fungal strain was found to produce a novel insecticidal compound asteltoxin H together with pochonicine.