A soft coral-derived fungus Penicillium sp. among other isolates e high antibacterial, anti-yeast and cytotoxic activities. The fungus, Penicillium sp. MMA, isolated from Sarcphyton glaucoma, afforded nine diverse compounds (1-9). Their structures were identified by 1D and 2 D NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopic data as two alkaloids: veridicatol (1), aurantiomide C (2); one sesquiterpene, aspterric acid (3); two carboxylic acids, 3,4-dihydroxy-benzoic acid; (4) and linoleic acid (5); three steroids, ergosterol (6), β-Sitosterol (7), β-Sitosterol glucoside (8) along with the sphingolipid, cerebroside A (9). Biologically, the antimicrobial, antioxidant, in vitro cytotoxicity and antibiofilm activities were studied in comparison with the fungal extract. The in silico computational studies were implemented to predict drug and lead likeness properties for 1-4. The fungus was taxonomically characterized by morphological and molecular biology (18srRNA) approaches.
Keywords: Alkaloids; Antibiofilm; Cytotoxicity; Marine-derived fungus; Penicillium sp. MMA; Sesquiterpene.