Enniatins are a class of organic

chemical compound A chemical compound is a chemical substance composed of many identical molecules (or molecular entities) containing atoms from more than one chemical element held together by chemical bonds. A molecule consisting of atoms of only one element ...

s found in ''

Fusarium ''Fusarium'' (; ) is a large genus of filamentous fungi, part of a group often referred to as hyphomycetes, widely distributed in soil and associated with plants. Most species are harmless saprobes, and are relatively abundant members of the s ...

'' fungi. They appear in nature as mixtures of cyclic

depsipeptide A depsipeptide is a peptide in which one or more of its amide, -C(O)NHR-, groups are replaced by the corresponding ester, -C(O)OR-. Many depsipeptides have both peptide and ester linkages. Elimination of the N–H group in a peptide structure result ...

s. The main variants are enniatin A, A1, B and B1 together with minor amounts of enniatin C, D, E and F. The enniatins act as

ionophore In chemistry, an ionophore () is a chemical species that reversibly binds ions. Many ionophores are lipid-soluble entities that transport ions across the cell membrane. Ionophores catalyze ion transport across hydrophobic membranes, such as l ...

s that bind ammonium, and they have been proposed as replacements for

nonactin Nonactin is a member of a family of naturally occurring cyclic ionophores known as the macrotetrolide antibiotics. The other members of this homologous family are monactin, dinactin, trinactin and tetranactin which are all neutral ionophoric subst ...

in specific ammonium-based electrodes. Enniatins have been also mentioned as potential anti-

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

See also

Biosynthesis

Chemical properties

References