Structural and Functional Analyses of Inhibition of Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase by Antiviral Furocoumavirin.

Natural products are important sources of seed compounds for drug discovery. However, it has become difficult in recent years to discover new compounds with valuable pharmacological activities. On the other hand, among the vast number of natural products that have been isolated so far, a considerable number of compounds with specific biological activities are thought to be overlooked in screening that uses biological activity as an index.

Uncommon Arrangement of Self-resistance Allows Biosynthesis of de novo Purine Biosynthesis Inhibitor that Acts as an Immunosuppressor.

(-)-FR901483 () isolated from the fungus sp. No.11231 achieves immunosuppression via nucleic acid biosynthesis inhibition rather than IL-2 production inhibition as accomplished by FK506 and cyclosporin A.