New products and new areas of bioprocess engineering

A number of reviews hâve been published over the years. Some of the most récent are [2-9]. Much has been said about the chemistry, biosynthesis, physio-logical controls, and biochemistry of the fungus Claviceps purpurea. We présent this review focusing on the organic synthesis of ergot alkaloids which has been put aside as impracticable. Nevertheless, its importance lies in the targeted development of new drugs, establishment of pharmacophore moieties, and finally what we believe to be the most interesting - probing the biosynthetic route and the development of synthons which, when added to the growing culture of Claviceps purpurea, will yield new alkaloid molécules. This review also gives information about récent progress in molecular biology, fermentation technology, and analytical methods as applied to ergot alkaloid research.