Characterisation of a hydroxydecanoic acid derivative with antifungal activity from the Antarctic psychrophilic fungus Cadophora malorum

From the culture of the Antarctic psychrophilic fungus Cadophora malorum, a partially acetylated 3,5-dihydroxydecanoic acid dimer (1) was isolated and identified. The absolute configuration of the stereogenic centres of the 3,5-dihydroxydecanoic acid moiety was chemically determined through the formation of a dioxane derivative of the methyl ester. Compound 1 displayed very good antifungal activity against several phytopathogenic fungi, with MIC values between 6.25 and 25 µg/mL. A lipidomics approach was carried out to assess the effect of compound 1 on a culture of a phytopathogenic strain of Fusarium solani, which led to an increase of diglycerides in the extract of the mycelium.