Variegatic acid (3,3',4,4'-tetrahydroxypulvinic acid) is an orange pigment found in some mushrooms. It is responsible for the bluing reaction seen in many bolete mushrooms when they are injured. When mushroom tissue containing variegatic acid is exposed to air, the chemical is enzymatically oxidized to blue-colored quinone methide anions It is derived from xerocomic acid, which is preceded by atromentic acid and atromentin, but the full biosynthetic pathway is unknown. In its oxidized form (due to the production of a second lactone ring) is variegatorubin, similar to xerocomorubin.
Variegatic acid has a nonspecific inhibitory effect on cytochrome P450 enzymes. It was found antibiotically inactive against an array of bacteria and fungi using the disk diffusion assay at 50μg. However, at similar concentrations it was found to inhibit swarming and (probably consequently) biofilm formation of Bacillus subtilis.
Derivatives
Variegatic acid methyl ester, 3-O-methylvariegatic acid methyl ester, and 3,3',4,4'-tetra-O-methylvariegatic acid methyl ester are red-orange pigments found in Boletales.
↑Edwards RL, Elsworthy GC (1967). "Variegatic acid, a new tetronic acid responsible for the blueing reaction in the fungus Suillus (Boletus) variegatus (Swartz ex Fr.)". Chemical Communications (8): 373b–374. doi:10.1039/C1967000373B.
↑Ahmed Z, Langer P (2005). "Synthesis of natural pulvinic acids based on a '[3+2] cyclization-Suzuki cross-coupling' strategy". Tetrahedron. 61 (8): 2055–63. doi:10.1016/j.tet.2004.12.048.
↑Kasuga A, Aoyagi Y, Sugahara T (1995). "Antioxidant activity of fungus Suillus bovinus (L: Fr.) O. Kuntze". Journal of Food Science. 60 (5): 1113–85. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2621.1995.tb06304.x.
↑Tauber, J. P., Schroeckh, V., Shelest, E., Brakhage, A. A. and Hoffmeister, D. (2016), Bacteria induce pigment formation in the basidiomycete Serpula lacrymans. Environ Microbiol, 18: 5218–5227. doi:10.1111/1462-2920.13558