Naphthoquinone pigments related to fusarubin from the fungus Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc.

A review is presented on the naphthoquinone pigments produced by the filamentous fungus Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc., and related species. After description of the naphthoquinone structures and biogenesis, the physiological and genetical controls of pigment production are discussed. The biological properties of the main naphthoquinone pigments so far investigated are described. Many problems still remain to be resolved in these fields, where Nectria haematococca (Berk. and Br.) Wr., the sexual state of Fusarium solani, is used as an experimental model.