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The “FERMEX” Method for Metabolite-Enriched Fungal Extracts

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Fungal Secondary Metabolism

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 944))

Abstract

The FERMEX (Fermentation Extract) program was a highly successful source of microbial natural product molecules for pharmaceutical lead discovery. The program was based on the observation that solid fermentations of fungi generally exhibited more complex metabolite profiles than when the same strains were grown on liquid medium. To produce interference-free fermentations and improve organic product recovery, fungi colonized homogeneous media-saturated vermiculite thus promoting cellular and metabolic differentiation. Secondary metabolites in fungal cells were extracted from the substratum and medium with methyethylketone to generate metabolite-enriched screening samples. The necessary equipment, protocol, and media recipes are described along with examples of bioactive fungal metabolites produced in this system.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fundación MEDINA, Centro de Excelencia en Investigación de Medicamentos Innovadores en Andalucía, Armilla, Granada, Spain

    Gerald F. Bills

  2. Natural Products Discovery Institute, Doylestown, Pennsylvania, USA

    Anne W. Dombrowski & Michael A. Goetz

Authors
  1. Gerald F. Bills
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  2. Anne W. Dombrowski
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  3. Michael A. Goetz
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Correspondence to Gerald F. Bills .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Dept. of Medical Microbiology & Immunolo, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Linden Drive 1550, Madison, 53706, Wisconsin, USA

    Nancy P. Keller

  2. , Dept. of Molecular Biology & Biotechnolo, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom

    Geoffrey Turner

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Bills, G.F., Dombrowski, A.W., Goetz, M.A. (2012). The “FERMEX” Method for Metabolite-Enriched Fungal Extracts. In: Keller, N., Turner, G. (eds) Fungal Secondary Metabolism. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 944. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-122-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-62703-122-6_5

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-62703-121-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-62703-122-6

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