SESQUITERPENOIDS AS AVIAN MYELOBLASTOSIS VIRUS PROTEASE INHIBITORS PRODUCED BYStachybotrys sp

Aspartic retroviral proteases play an important role in the processing of viral polyproteins into mature functional proteins1}. An inhibitor of avian myeloblastosis virus protease (AMV-protease) could be a possible candidate for antiviral-therapy and could be used, for example, as an anti-HIV agent2). In the course of screening for AMV-protease inhibitors, we discovered Mer-NF5003B, E and F, novel sesquiterpenoids (Fig. 1), from the culture broth of a fungal strain Stachybotrys sp. MerNF5003 (FERM p-12344). In this paper, the fermentation of the producing strain, isolation, physico-chemical properties, structure elucidation and the some biological activities of Mer-NF5003B, E and F are described. Screening of AMVprotease were carried out in the following manner: AMV-protease (Molecular Genetic Resources, 1 jug) was incubated with ThrPhe-Gln-Ala-Tyr-Pro-Leu-Arg-Glu-Ala (Peptide