General description

Cerulenin is a fungal metabolite, that is involved in the inhibition of fatty acid synthase by alkylating β-ketoacyl acyl-carrier-protein synthase in several prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. It also inhibits polyketide synthases and exhibits anti-candida activity. Cerulenin acts as a phytotoxic virulence factor and also blocks the activity of other fungal pathogens in Sarocladium oryzae. It also acts as an effective inducer of apoptosis and cytotoxic effects in tumor cells whereas normal human keratinocytes and fibroblasts resist the effects of cerulenin. Cerulenin plays a role in in vitro inhibition of HIV-1 proteinase.

Chemical structure: fatty acid derivative

Application

Cerulenin has been used:

as a fatty acid synthase inhibitor to study its effects on aldosterone-induced trained immunity
as a blocker of fatty acid synthase to study its effects on the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2)
as a supplement in yeast extract–peptone–dextrose/glycerol (YPD/G) agar plates for the isolation of cerulenin-resistant yeast strains