Rapid Identification of Cunninghamella bertholletiae's Toxins/Secondary Metabolites via a Fermentation Technique

Toxins/secondary metabolites produced by a cyanide tolerant/resistant fungal strain, i.e. Cunninghamella bertholletiae, were produced through a fermentation technique. Fungal mycelia (0.05 – 0.4g) was inoculated and fermented in a 25 mL nutrient broth medium for 168 hrs at 37 °C in 40 mL Erlenmeyer flasks in a shaking incubator set at 70 rpm. A volume (5 mL) of the fermented extracts were filtered through a membrane, centrifuged, mixed with chloroform and dried-up through nitrogen blow-down prior reconstitution using 100% analytical grade methanol. Samples were analyzed for secondary metabolites identification using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (LC/MS-TOF 6230). The results revealed the production of secondary metabolites; Silibinin and 11-Ketotestosterone from a cyanide resistant and/or tolerant C. bertholletiae.