Production of Phenolic Compounds by Aspergillus S-4 in Sake Cake Medium and Identification of Terrein.

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the culture filtrate of an isolated mold, Aspergillus terreus S-4, showed a larger peak of a terrein-like substance than those of gallic acid and protocatechuic acid. The chemical structure of this substance was investigated and identified as terrein, 4,5-dihydroxy-3-propenyl-2-cyclopenten-1-one. We also examined some culture conditions for the production of terrein using a sake cake medium for strain S-4.