Biotransformations of Flavones and an Isoflavone (Daidzein) in Cultures of Entomopathogenic Filamentous Fungi

Entomopathogenic filamentous fungi of the genus Isaria are effective biocatalysts in the biotransformation of flavonoids as well as steroids. In the present study, the species Isaria fumosorosea and Isaria farinosa isolated from the environment were used. Their catalytic capacity to carry out biotransformations of flavones-unsubstituted, with hydroxy-and amino-substituents as well as a hydroxylated isoflavone-was investigated. Biotransformations of flavone, 5-hydroxyflavone, 6-hydroxyflavone, 7-hydroxyflavone, and daidzein resulted in the formation of O-methylglucosides, in the case of flavone and 5-hydroxyflavone with additional hydroxylations. 7-Aminoflavone was transformed into two acetamido derivatives. The following products were obtained: From flavone-flavone 2'-O-beta-D-(4-O-methyl)-glucopyranoside, flavone 4'-O-beta-D-(4-O-methyl)-glucopyranoside and 3'-hydroxyflavone 4'-O-beta-D-(4-O-methyl)-glucopyranoside; from 5-hydroxyflavone-5-hydroxyflavone 4'-O-beta-D-(4-O-methyl)-glucopyranoside; from 6-hydroxyflavone-flavone 6O-beta-D-(4-O-methyl)-glucopyranoside; from 7-hydroxyflavone-flavone 7-O-beta-D-(4-O-methyl)-glucopyranoside; from daidzein-daidzein 7-O-beta-D-(4-O-methyl)-glucopyranoside; and from 7-aminoflavone-7-acetamidoflavone and 7-acetamido-4'-hydroxyflavone. Seven of the products obtained by us have not been previously reported in the literature.