Fungerin, a Fungal Alkaloid, Arrests the Cell Cycle in M Phase by Inhibition of Microtubule Polymerization

Abstract

A fungal alkaloid fungerin was found to arrest the cell cycle of Jurkat cells at the G₂/M phase, then to induce apoptosis. Immunoblotting showed that fungerin led to hyperphosphorylation for Cdc25C and dephosphorylation of Cdc2, indicating that the compound arrests the cell cycle at the M phase. Moreover, fungerin inhibited the polymerization of microtubule proteins in vitro. It was concluded that fungerin arrests the cell cycle at the M phase through inhibition of microtubule polymerization.