Marasmic acid

Marasmic acid is a sesquiterpenoid with unsaturated dialdehyde functionality, first isolated from the Basidiomycete Marasmus conigenus. Marasmic acid has antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic and mutagenic activities, and its broad-spectrum activity is related to the α, β-unsaturated aldehyde group. However, its detailed biological mechanism of action has not been clarified. Previous studies have suggested that marasmic acid may exert its effects by reacting with endogenous nucleophiles or forming pyrrole derivatives. This study found that marasmic acid interferes with the membrane sensor histidine kinase MoSln1p of M. oryzae, superactivates the HOG pathway and causes cell death, indicating that its mechanism of action is different from other unsaturated dialdehyde sesquiterpenoids.