Studies in the usnic acid series. IX. The biodegradation of (+)-usnic acid by Mucor globosus

Abstract

The microbial degradation of the lichen antibiotic (+)-usnic acid (1) by means of the fungal isolate Mucorglobosus has been studied. It is shown that this organism provides the metabolite (+)-2-desacetylusnic acid (2) as a major component via a novel deacylation reaction.