International Journal of Environmental & Agriculture Research (IJOEAR) ISSN:[2454-1850] [Vol-3, Issue-4, April- 2017] Page | 33 Mycotoxin production by entomopathogenic fungus Conidiobolus coronatus Monika Paszkiewicz 1* , Magdalena Tyma 2 , Marta Ligęza-ĩuber 3 , Emilia Włóka 4 , Mieczysława I. Boguś 5 , Piotr Stepnowski 6 1,2,6 Institute for Environmental and Human Health Protection, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland 3,4,5 Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland Abstract— Qualitative and quantitative analysis of selected mycotoxins has been performed in extracts of Conidiobolus coronatus pathogenic fungus cultivated under optimal and stress conditions. Furthermore, the analyses of these compounds in post-incubation filtrates were done. For identification purposes the analytical method allows identification and quantitation of selected mycotoxins including beauvericin , fumonisin B1, enniatin A and B and destruxin A based on high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was developed. Only beauvericin was detected in very low amounts in C. coronatus mycelium extract cultivated under optimal condition. In the extract of C. coronatus mycelium grown on LB 12.3 ± 0.1 μg/g of beauvericin was determined, while in the extract of C. coronatus mycelium grown on MM medium beauvericin content was lower and amounted 4.6 ± 0.1 μg/g. Also the presence of beauvericin was confirmed in postincubaction filtrate extract (MM). The content of this compound was 2.2 ± 0.1 μg/g. In other extracts beauvericin was not detected. In addition, in the tested extracts other compounds were not detected. Keywords— Mycotoxin Production, Conidiobolus, quantitative analysis. I. INTRODUCTION The use of chemical insecticides can cause a variety negative effect on the environment. They exhibit high toxicity, but also a low biodegradability and thus accumulate in the environment. As a result of drift by the wind or flushing them torrential rains, these compounds get into reservoirs and waterways. Therefore, it is necessary to search for alternative methods of pest control, which will not have a negative impact on the environment, including humans and animals. The solution to this problem may be use of entomopathogenic fungi. Entomopathogenic fungi are ubiquitous in the environment and plays an important role due to its ability to spontaneous infection reduce the amount of many plant pests [1]. Currently, there are about 3,000 known species of fungi that can cause diseases of living arthropods. Only 30 of them are used as biological agents to limit the number of plant pests [2]. The most of these products is based on the fungi species such as Metarhizium anisopliae, Beauveria bassiana, Beauveria brongniartii, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus, Lecanicillium longisporum and Lecanicillium muscarium [3]. These entomopathogenic fungi can be use as bioinsecticides, due to their ability to mass propagation on artificial media [1]. Entomopathogenic fungi produce a number of secondary metabolites which have a different effect on insects [4-7]. Beauveria bassiana produces bassianolides - depsipeptide which proved to be important factors in the insect infection [4]. Destruxins produced by the Metarhizium anisopliae causes paralysis and death of the infected host [5]. There are also metabolites do not cause the death of organisms, but does not exclude the importance of these compounds in the infection process, e.g. beauverolides not show the insecticidal activity and the immune response [7]. Fumonisins are produced by fungi of the genus Fusarium, for example: F. moniliforme and F. proliferatum occurring primarily in corn grain and its processing products intended for food and feed. The most important analogues found in naturally contaminated corn are fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2 and fumonisin B3. Several strains of fungi Fusarium spp produce secondary metabolites belonging to the enniatin group. They are six-membered cyclic depsipeptides having ionophoric, phytotoxic, antiparasitic and antibiotic properties. Beauvericin (BEA) is a toxic metabolite produced by entomopathogenic fungi. This mycotoxin was isolated from an entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and several other species belonging to the family Cordycipitaceae in the Hypocreales (Ascomycota) [8-11]. Fusarium species infecting maize, rice, and wheat are also known as beauvericin producers [9]. There is only one report of BEA occurrence and co- occurrence with fumonisin B1, fumonisin B2 and ochratoxin A. BEA is cyclohexadepsipeptide fungal metabolite with a wide range of biological activities, such as insecticides, anthermintic, antibacterial, antifungal, antiplasmodial, antimycobacterial and anticancer activities. It is the most potent specific inhibitor of cholesterol acyltransferase and possesses ionophoric properties. BEA increases ion permeability in biological membranes by forming a complex with some cations (Ca 2+ , Na + , K + ), which may affect the ionic homeostasis [8]. The insecticidal activity of BEA was first discovered by Hamill et al.[12].