Aspterric acid is a carotene-type sesquiterpene, plant growth regulator, and inhibitor of pollen development originally isolated from the fungus A. terreus. It inhibits pollen development, reduces stem length at first flowering, and increases the time to bolting and first flowering in A. thaliana when used at a concentration of 38 μM. Aspterric acid exerts its effects on reproductive growth in A. thaliana without inhibiting biosynthesis and transport of the plant growth regulator indole-3-acetic acid .
1) Tsuda et al. (1978), Aspterric acid, a new sesquiterpenoid of the carotene group, a metabolite from Aspergillus terreus IFO-6123. X-Ray crystal and molecular structure of its p-bromobenzoate; J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 4 161
2) Yan et al. (2018), Resistance-gene-directed discovery of a natural-product herbicide with a new mode of action; Nature., 559 415
3) Shimada et al. (2002), Aspterric acid and 6-hydroxymellein, inhibitors of pollen development in Arabidopsis thaliana, produced by Aspergillus terreus; Z. Naturforsch. C., 57 459
