Inducing pigmentation using Hypocrea/Trichoderma co-cultures

Abstract

In the course of discovering new metabolites using the Hypocrea/Trichoderma co-culture system, we performed confrontation assays using 10 Hypocrea/Trichoderma strains that did not produce pigment when cultured individually. A total 27 of co-culture combinations produced 45 combinations of yellow or black pigments. The co-culture broth of T. harzianum FKI- 5698 and T. atroviride FKI- 5700 contained a yellow pigment, which we named coculphilone. However, pure culture broths of both strains did not contain this pigment. We analyzed its production conditions.