A new squalene synthase (SSase) inhibitor, CJ-15,183 (I) was isolated from
the fermentation broth of a fungus, Aspergillus aculeatus CL38916. The comp
ound potently inhibited rat liver and Candida albicans microsomal SSases an
d also inhibited the human enzyme. It also showed antifungal activities aga
inst filamentous fungi and a yeast. The structure was determined to be an a
liphatic tetracarboxylic acid compound consisting of an alkyl gamma -lacton
e, malic acid and isocitric acid moieties by spectroscopic studies.