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Fruiting Bodies (fruiting + body)
Selected AbstractsSarcodonins and Sarcoviolins, Bioactive Polyhydroxy- p -terphenyl Pyrazinediol Dioxide Conjugates from Fruiting Bodies of the Basidiomycete Sarcodon leucopusEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2004Valeria Calě Abstract Six new polyhydroxy- p -terphenyl pyrazinediol dioxide conjugates (4,9) related to sarcodonin (3) have been isolated from the EtOAc extract of the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Sarcodon leucopus and we established their structures by spectral analysis and chemical conversions. Three of them, named sarcodonins , (4), , (5), and , (6), afforded the same peracetate 12 upon acetylation. Compounds 7, 8, and 9 gave peracetate 13 and were characterized as the N -oxide epimers of 3,5, respectively, and are named, accordingly, episarcodonin, episarcodonin ,, and episarcodonin ,. From the EtOH extract, we obtained a mixture of two violet pigments. Chemical and spectroscopic data allowed their structures to be established as the p -terphenyl ortho -quinones related to the sarcodonins, namely sarcoviolin , (10) and episarcoviolin , (11). Compounds 3, 4, 6, and 7 and the mixture of 10 and 11 were found to be active in assays against tumor cell cultures. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004) [source] Paxillamide: a Novel Phytosphingosine Derivative from the Fruiting Bodies of Paxillus panuoidesHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 6 2004Jin-Ming Gao The new phytosphingosine-type ceramide 1, named paxillamide (=2,3-dihydroxy- N -[(1S,2S,3R)-2,3-dihydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)heptadecyl]tetracosanamide), was isolated from the CHCl3/MeOH extract of the fruiting bodies of the Basidiomycete Paxillus panuoides, and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. [source] Homology Assessment of the Boundary Tissue in Fruiting Bodies of the Lichen Family Sphaerophoraceae (Lecanorales, Ascomycota)PLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 3 2000H. Döring Abstract: The ascoma ontogeny of the family Sphaerophoraceae is reviewed. The development of the boundary tissue in Leifidium tenerum is described and compared with similar structures in some other mazaediate representatives of the family (Sphaerophorus globosus, Bunodophoron dodgei and B. diplotypum), and with the non-mazaedia-producing genera Austropeltum and Neophyllis. The dominant structure in the base of mature ascomata in all genera is a boundary tissue forming the border between ascomatal ("generative") and thalline ("vegetative") tissue. In the mazaedia-forming genera, the boundary tissue is composed of two layers. The upper layer is a zone of ascogenous hyphae, homologous to similar zones in Neophyllis and Austropeltum. The lower layer is a pseudoparenchymatic and often strongly pigmented zone formed by generative tissue, homologous to a zone of generative tissue present in Neophyllis but lacking in Austropeltum. [source] Rufuslactone, a New Antifungal Sesquiterpene from the Fruiting Bodies of the Basidiomycete Lactarius rufus.CHEMINFORM, Issue 2 2006Du-Qiang Luo Abstract For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text. [source] An Unusual Nitrogenous Terphenyl Derivative from Fruiting Bodies of the Basidiomycete Sarcodon scabrosusCHEMINFORM, Issue 39 2005Bing-Ji Ma Abstract For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text. [source] Origin and Evolution of the Lichenized Ascomycete Order Lichinales: Monophyly and Systematic Relationships Inferred from Ascus, Fruiting Body and SSU rDNA EvolutionPLANT BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2001M. Schultz Abstract: The Lichinales are a group of lichenized ascomycetes that almost exclusively possess cyanobacteria as their primary photobiont and are hitherto separated from the Lecanorales, the major group of lichenized ascomycetes, by thallus structure, ascoma ontogeny, ascus structure and ascus function. The relationship of the two families Peltulaceae and Lichinaceae, both placed within the Lichinales, with the Heppiaceae, placed within the Lecanorales, was investigated, as well as a possible sister group relationship of the Lichinales to the Lecanorales. Phylogenetic analyses included non-molecular data as well as 18S rDNA sequence data. The monophyly of the Lichinales including the family Heppiaceae and a sister group relationship of Lichinales and Lecanorales, based on the shared presence of lecanoralean asci, are proposed in a morphological hypothesis. Parsimony and distance analyses of 18S rDNA sequence data strongly support the monophyly of the Lichinales, including all three families. Therefore, the presence of rostrate, lecanoralean asci in Peltula and part of the Lichinaceae suggests that this ascus type is an autapomorphy of the monophyletic Lichinales. Furthermore, the occurrence of prototunicate asci in the Heppiaceae and most of the Lichinaceae is autapomorphic and was gained independently by reduction of the rostrate ascus. The 18S rDNA analysis did not reject the non-molecular hypothesis of a sister group relationship of the Lichinales and the Lecanorales as based on ascus characters. The alternative placement of the Lichinales as the sister group of all inoperculate euascomycetes excluding the Sordariomycetes and most of the Leotiales in the gene tree received unsufficient bootstrap support and no support from any non-molecular data and consequently was rejected. [source] A novel role of differentiation-inducing factor-1 in Dictyostelium development, assessed by the restoration of a developmental defect in a mutant lacking mitogen-activated protein kinase ERK2DEVELOPMENT GROWTH & DIFFERENTIATION, Issue 5 2000Hidekazu Kuwayama It has been previously reported that the differentiating wild-type cells of Dictyostelium discoideum secrete a diffusible factor or factors that are able to rescue the developmental defect in the mutant lacking extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2), encoded by the gene erkB. In the present study, it is demonstrated that differentiation-inducing factor-1 (DIF-1) for stalk cells can mimic the role of the factor(s) and the mechanism of the action of DIF-1 in the erkB null mutant is also discussed. The mutant usually never forms multicellular aggregates, because of its defect in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling. In the presence of 100 n M DIF-1, however, the mutant cells formed tiny slugs, which eventually developed into small fruiting bodies. In contrast, DIF-1 never rescued the developmental arrest of other Dictyostelium mutants lacking adenylyl cyclase A (ACA), cAMP receptors cAR1 and cAR3, heterotrimeric G-protein, the cytosolic regulator of ACA, or the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA-C). Most importantly, it was found that DIF-1 did not affect the cellular cAMP level, but rather elevated the transcriptional level of pka during the development of erkB null cells. These results suggest that DIF-1 may rescue the developmental defect in erkB null cells via the increase in PKA activity, thus giving the first conclusive evidence that DIF-1 plays a crucial role in the early events of Dictyostelium development as well as in prestalk and stalk cell induction. [source] Fungivore host-use groups from cluster analysis: patterns of utilisation of fungal fruiting bodies by ciid beetlesECOLOGICAL ENTOMOLOGY, Issue 6 2005Glenda M. Orledge Abstract., 1.,Ciid beetles typically live and breed in the fruiting bodies of lignicolous basidiomycete fungi. This study was undertaken to address the lack of an objective examination of patterns of host use by ciids. 2.,Cluster analysis of ciid host-use datasets from Britain, Germany, North America, and Japan, and subsequent cross-dataset comparisons, demonstrated the existence of ciid host-use patterns of wide geographical occurrence. These patterns were formalised as ciid host-use groups. 3.,Six Holarctic ciid host-use groups, and two host-use subgroups, were identified, and are described. Each host-use group comprises an assemblage of fungal genera and the breeding ciids that it supports. Each taxon belongs to only a single host-use group, but may be associated with several members of that group. There is a strong tendency for closely related taxa to belong to the same host-use group. 4.,It is suggested that ciid host-use groups are defined ultimately by host chemistry, with the ciids that belong to a particular group recognising, and responding positively to, emitted volatiles characterising the fungi belonging to that group. 5.,The idea of the host-use group bears comparison with the concepts of niche and guild, but is not equivalent to either. 6.,Ciid host-use groups have a valuable role to play in underpinning future studies of ciid ecology, also the systematics of both ciids and their fungal hosts. [source] Universal and species-specific bacterial ,fungiphiles' in the mycospheres of different basidiomycetous fungiENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 2 2009J. A. Warmink Summary In previous work, several bacterial groups that show a response to fruiting bodies (the mycosphere) of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria proxima were identified. We here extend this work to a broader range of fungal fruiting bodies sampled at two occasions. PCR-DGGE analyses showed clear effects of the mycosphere of diverse fungi on the total bacterial and Pseudomonas communities in comparison with those in the corresponding bulk soil. The diversities of the Pseudomonas communities increased dramatically in most of the mycospheres tested, which contrasted with a decrease of the diversity of the total bacterial communities in these habitats. The data also indicated the existence of universal (i.e. Pseudomonas poae, P. lini, P. umsongensis, P. corrugata, P. antarctica and Rahnella aquatilis) as well as specific (i.e. P. viridiflava and candidatus Xiphinematobacter americani) fungiphiles, defined as bacteria adapted to the mycospheres of, respectively, three or more or just one fungal species. The selection of such fungiphiles was shown to be strongly related to their capacities to use particular carbonaceous compounds, as evidenced using principal components analyses of BIOLOG-based substrate utilization tests. The differentiating compounds, i.e. l -arabinose, l -leucine, m-inositol, m-arabitol, d -mannitol and d -trehalose, were tentatively linked to compounds known to occur in mycosphere exudates. [source] Red Pyrroloquinoline Alkaloids from the Mushroom Mycena haematopusEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 2 2008Silke Peters Abstract Four so far unknown red alkaloid pigments, haematopodin B (1) and the mycenarubins D (3), E (5) and F (6), were isolated from fruiting bodies of Mycena haematopus. The structures of these pyrroloquinoline alkaloids were established by 2D NMR spectroscopic and MS (ESI) methods. Their absolute configurations were determined by comparison of their CD spectra with that of haematopodin (2) or mycenarubin A (4). Metabolic profiling of the red pigments of intact and injured fruiting bodies revealed that the known degradation product haematopodin (2) originates from haematopodin B (1), which is the native main pigment of M. haematopus.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008) [source] Sarcodonins and Sarcoviolins, Bioactive Polyhydroxy- p -terphenyl Pyrazinediol Dioxide Conjugates from Fruiting Bodies of the Basidiomycete Sarcodon leucopusEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2004Valeria Calě Abstract Six new polyhydroxy- p -terphenyl pyrazinediol dioxide conjugates (4,9) related to sarcodonin (3) have been isolated from the EtOAc extract of the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Sarcodon leucopus and we established their structures by spectral analysis and chemical conversions. Three of them, named sarcodonins , (4), , (5), and , (6), afforded the same peracetate 12 upon acetylation. Compounds 7, 8, and 9 gave peracetate 13 and were characterized as the N -oxide epimers of 3,5, respectively, and are named, accordingly, episarcodonin, episarcodonin ,, and episarcodonin ,. From the EtOH extract, we obtained a mixture of two violet pigments. Chemical and spectroscopic data allowed their structures to be established as the p -terphenyl ortho -quinones related to the sarcodonins, namely sarcoviolin , (10) and episarcoviolin , (11). Compounds 3, 4, 6, and 7 and the mixture of 10 and 11 were found to be active in assays against tumor cell cultures. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004) [source] Interaction of ostreolysin, a cytolytic protein from the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus, with lipid membranes and modulation by lysophospholipidsFEBS JOURNAL, Issue 6 2003Kristina Sep Ostreolysin is a 16-kDa cytolytic protein specifically expressed in primordia and fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus. To understand its interaction with lipid membranes, we compared its effects on mammalian cells, on vesicles prepared with either pure lipids or total lipid extracts, and on dispersions of lysophospholipids or fatty acids. At nanomolar concentrations, the protein lysed human, bovine and sheep erythrocytes by a colloid-osmotic mechanism, compatible with the formation of pores of 4 nm diameter, and was cytotoxic to mammalian tumor cells. A search for lipid inhibitors of hemolysis revealed a strong effect of lysophospholipids and fatty acids, occurring below their critical micellar concentration. This effect was distinct from the capacity of ostreolysin to bind to and permeabilize lipid membranes. In fact, permeabilization of vesicles occurred only when they were prepared with lipids extracted from erythrocytes, and not with lipids extracted from P. ostreatus or pure lipid mixtures, even if lysophospholipids or fatty acids were included. Interaction with lipid vesicles, and their permeabilization, correlated with an increase in the intrinsic fluorescence and ,-helical content of the protein, and with aggregation, which were not detected with lysophospholipids. It appears that either an unknown lipid acceptor or a specific lipid complex is required for binding, aggregation and pore formation. The inhibitory effect of lysophospholipids may reflect a regulatory role for these components on the physiological action of ostreolysin and related proteins during fruiting. [source] Phenotypic analyses of frz and dif double mutants of Myxococcus xanthusFEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2000Wenyuan Shi Abstract Myxococcus xanthus is a Gram-negative gliding bacterium that aggregates and develops into multicellular fruiting bodies in response to starvation. Two chemosensory systems (frz and dif), both of which are homologous to known chemotaxis proteins, were previously identified through characterization of various developmental mutants. This study aims to examine the interaction between these two systems since both of them are required for fruiting body formation of M. xanthus. Through detailed phenotypic analyses of frz and dif double mutants, we found that both frz and dif are involved in cellular reversal and social motility; however, the frz genes are epistatic in controlling cellular reversal, whereas the dif genes are epistatic in controlling social motility. The study suggests that the integration of these two chemotaxis systems may play a central role in controlling the complicated social behaviors of M. xanthus. [source] Extracellular biology of Myxococcus xanthusFEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS, Issue 2 2010Anna Konovalova Abstract Myxococcus xanthus has a lifecycle characterized by several social interactions. In the presence of prey, M. xanthus is a predator forming cooperatively feeding colonies, and in the absence of nutrients, M. xanthus cells interact to form multicellular, spore-filled fruiting bodies. Formation of both cellular patterns depends on extracellular functions including the extracellular matrix and intercellular signals. Interestingly, the formation of these patterns also depends on several activities that involve direct cell,cell contacts between M. xanthus cells or direct contacts between M. xanthus cells and the substratum, suggesting that M. xanthus cells have a marked ability to distinguish self from nonself. Genome-wide analyses of the M. xanthus genome reveal a large potential for protein secretion. Myxococcus xanthus harbours all protein secretion systems required for translocation of unfolded and folded proteins across the cytoplasmic membrane and an intact type II secretion system. Moreover, M. xanthus contains 60 ATP-binding cassette transporters, two degenerate type III secretion systems, both of which lack the parts in the outer membrane and the needle structure, and an intact type VI secretion system for one-step translocation of proteins across the cell envelope. Also, analyses of the M. xanthus proteome reveal a large protein secretion potential including many proteins of unknown function. [source] Epidemiology of Heterobasidion abietinum and Viscum album on silver fir (Abies alba) stands of the PyreneesFOREST PATHOLOGY, Issue 1 2010J. Oliva Summary In the last two decades, stand decline and increased mortality has affected silver fir (Abies alba) forests in the Spanish Pyrenees. Simultaneously severe occurrences of the root rot fungus Heterobasidion annosum s.l. and of the mistletoe Viscum album have been reported. We aimed to improve the understanding of the epidemiology of both pathogens in our region. All H. annosum isolates found on silver fir were typed as H. abietinum. H. abietinum was more frequently observed where cuttings had targeted fir trees rather than other species. H. abietinum fruiting bodies were observed in the most recently cut stumps. V. album was more abundant on more dominant fir trees, and in southern aspect stands. The number of V. album colonies in the stand correlated (R2 = 0.40) with silver fir mortality. Stands with a high level of V. album infection tended to have a smaller percentage of basal area in species other than silver fir, and they tended to be located on more south-facing slopes. H. abietinum was widespread in silver fir forests of the Pyrenees. Our data suggest that, in the Pyrenees, the observed H. abietinum incidence may represent a combination of both primary and secondary spread of the pathogen. Favouring mixed forests should be tested as a potential control method for V. album. The correlation between silver fir mortality and V. album infection warrants further study, as the observed tree mortality could have occurred due to other factors than V. album, such as drought damage. [source] Concentricolide, an Anti-HIV Agent from the Ascomycete Daldinia concentricaHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 1 2006Xiang-Dong Qin Abstract A novel benzofuran lactone, named concentricolide (=,rel -(6R)-6-ethylbenzo[2,1- b:3,4- c,]difuran-8(6H)-one; 1), was isolated along with four known compounds (friedelin, cytochalasin L-696,474, armillaramide, and russulamide) from the fruiting bodies of the xylariaceous ascomycete Daldinia concentrica. The structure of 1 was established by spectroscopic methods and X-ray crystallographic analysis. Its anti-HIV-1 activity was tested. Results showed that 1 inhibited HIV-1 induced cytopathic effects. The EC50 value was 0.31,,g/ml. The therapeutic index (TI) was 247. Concentricolide exhibited the blockage (EC50 0.83,,g/ml) on syncytium formation between HIV-1 infected cells and normal cells. [source] Isolation and Characterization of New Bitter Diterpenoids from the Basidiomycete Sarcodon scabrosusHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 11 2004Bing-Ji Ma The novel cyathane-type diterpenoids scabronine G and H (1 and 2, resp.) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Sarcodon scabrosus together with four known compounds, allocyathin B2 (3), sarcodonin A (4), sarcodonin G (5), and scabronine F (6). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic means, including 2D-NMR (HMBC, HMQC, ROESY, 1H,1H-COSY). [source] Paxillamide: a Novel Phytosphingosine Derivative from the Fruiting Bodies of Paxillus panuoidesHELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 6 2004Jin-Ming Gao The new phytosphingosine-type ceramide 1, named paxillamide (=2,3-dihydroxy- N -[(1S,2S,3R)-2,3-dihydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)heptadecyl]tetracosanamide), was isolated from the CHCl3/MeOH extract of the fruiting bodies of the Basidiomycete Paxillus panuoides, and its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic and chemical methods. [source] Evidences of high carbon catabolic enzyme activities during sporulation of Pleurotus ostreatus (Florida)JOURNAL OF BASIC MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2003Tapas K. Chakraborty Measurements of the specific activities of the representative enzymes of different pathways linked to carbohydrate metabolism indicate that glycolysis and TCA cycles are the major route of carbohydrate catabolism in the sporulating phase of fruiting body development in Pleurotus ostreatus. Enzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway always showed lower specific activities as compared to those of the enzymes of the glycolytic pathway. The activity of NADP linked glutamate dehydrogenase which is known to be an anabolic enzyme decreased drastically in sporulating fruiting bodies and in spore containing gill tissue (spore bearing structure). Mannitol dehydrogenase activity declined significantly in the sporulating phase of P. ostreatus. The high rate of metabolism during sporulation was further supported by a lower rate of gluconeogenesis at this stage. Concentrations of all the major sugars of the fruiting body (mannitol, glucose and trehalose) decreased in the mature fruiting body and gill tissue. This indicated high catabolic activities at this stage of development. [source] Agaricus macrosporus as a potential bioremediation agent for substrates contaminated with heavy metalsJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 3 2005MA García Abstract This study investigated the potential use of the mushroom Agaricus macrosporus for bioextraction of heavy metals from contaminated substrates. Mushrooms were grown (1) in a non-contaminated control substrate, (2) in a substrate with added Cd (10 mg per kg dw), and (3) in a multi-contaminated substrate (Cd, Hg and Pb each at 10 mg kg,1; Cu and Zn each at 20 mg kg,1). Metal contents were determined in fruiting bodies by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV). In the control substrate, three production waves (,breaks') were obtained, compared with only two in the contaminated substrates; however, total biomass in the Cd-contaminated substrate was similar to that in the control substrate, and only 40% lower (ie still considerable) in the Hg-containing multi-contaminated substrate. Within each break, metal contents were higher in young than in adult individuals. Metal contents were also higher in the hymenophore than in other parts of the fruiting body. The metal content data indicate that A macrosporus effectively extracted Cd, Hg and Cu (though not Pb) from the contaminated substrates. Of particular interest is the tolerance and extraction of Hg, in contrast with plants. These results suggest that fungi such as A macrosporus may be effective for bioremediation of metal-contaminated substrates, though bearing in mind that in many contaminated environments cultivation of mushrooms of this type may be difficult. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry [source] PCR-based Detection and Differentiation of Anthracnose Pathogens, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and C. truncatum, from Vegetable Soybean in TaiwanJOURNAL OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 11-12 2006L. S. Chen Abstract Anthracnose of vegetable soybean sometimes occurs in summer and causes severe symptoms and yield loss in southern Taiwan. Despite previous reports that Glomerella glycines and Colletotrichum truncatum were causal agents of soybean anthracnose, C. truncatum and C. gloeosporioides (teleomorph G. cingulata), but not G. glycines, were identified as the major pathogens causing anthracnose on the pods and stems of vegetable soybeans from 2003 to 2005. Most strains of C. truncatum and C. gloeosporioides were derived from diseased pods. Morphological formation of fruiting bodies separates the Colletotrichum isolates into two groups. Colletotrichum truncatum forms acervuli only while C. gloeosporioides produces acervuli and/or perithecia. Based on the sequence variation in the ITS1 and ITS2 regions, C. truncatum isolates were highly similar (99,100% nucleotide identity) while C. gloeosporioides isolates diverged into two separate groups that were not associated with morphotype. For early detection of C. truncatum and C. gloeosporioides infection on vegetable soybean plants, two species-specific primer pairs Colg 1/Colg 2 (expected size of 443 bp) and Colg 1/CT 2 (375 bp) were designed that allowed differentiation of C. gloeosporioides and C. truncatum in multiplex polymerase chain reaction. [source] Deciphering regulatory mechanisms for secondary metabolite production in the myxobacterium Sorangium cellulosum So ce56MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 6 2007Shwan Rachid Summary Sorangium cellulosum strains produce approximately 50% of the biologically active secondary metabolites known from myxobacteria. These metabolites include several compounds of biotechnological importance such as the epothilones and chivosazols, which, respectively, stabilize the tubulin and actin skeletons of eukaryotic cells. S. cellulosum is characterized by its slow growth rate, and natural products are typically produced in low yield. In this study, biomagnetic bead separation of promoter-binding proteins and subsequent inactivation experiments were employed to identify the chivosazol regulator, ChiR, as a positive regulator of chivosazol biosynthesis in the genome-sequenced strain So ce56. Overexpression of chiR under the control of T7A1 promoter in a merodiploid mutant resulted in fivefold overproduction of chivosazol in a kinetic shake flask experiment, and 2.5-fold overproduction by fermentation. Using quantitative reverse transcription PCR and gel shift experiments employing heterologously expressed ChiR, we have shown that transcription of the chivosazol biosynthetic genes (chiA,chiF) is directly controlled by this protein. In addition, we have demonstrated that ChiR serves as a pleiotropic regulator in S. cellulosum, because mutant strains lack the ability to develop into regular fruiting bodies. [source] Phylogenetic analysis, genomic organization, and expression analysis of multi-copper oxidases in the ectomycorrhizal basidiomycete Laccaria bicolorNEW PHYTOLOGIST, Issue 3 2009P. E. Courty Summary ,,In forest soils, ectomycorrhizal and saprotrophic Agaricales differ in their strategies for carbon acquisition, but share common gene families encoding multi-copper oxidases (MCOs). These enzymes are involved in the oxidation of a variety of soil organic compounds. ,,The MCO gene family of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria bicolor is composed of 11 genes divided into two distinct subfamilies corresponding to laccases (lcc) sensu stricto (lcc1 to lcc9), sharing a high sequence homology with the coprophilic Coprinopsis cinerea laccase genes, and to ferroxidases (lcc10 and lcc11) that are not present in C. cinerea. The fet3 -like ferroxidase genes lcc10 and lcc11 in L. bicolor are each arranged in a mirrored tandem orientation with an ftr gene coding for an iron permease. Unlike C. cinerea, L. bicolor has no sid1/sidA gene for siderophore biosynthesis. ,,Transcript profiling using whole-genome expression arrays and quantitative reverse transcriptase,polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) revealed that some transcripts were very abundant in ectomycorrhizas (lcc3 and lcc8), in fruiting bodies (lcc7) or in the free-living mycelium grown on agar medium (lcc9 and lcc10), suggesting a specific function of these MCOs. ,,The amino acid composition of the MCO substrate binding sites suggests that L. bicolor MCOs interact with substrates different from those of saprotrophic fungi. [source] Involvement of G Proteins in the Mycelial Photoresponses of Phycomyces,PHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2004George Tsolakis ABSTRACT Many responses of the zygomycete fungus Phycomyces blakesleeanus are mediated by blue light, e.g. the stimulation of ,-carotene synthesis (photocarotenogenesis) and the formation of fruiting bodies (photomorphogenesis). Even though both responses have been described in detail genetically and biophysically, the underlying molecular events remain unknown. Applying a pharmacological approach in developing mycelia, we investigated the possible involvement of heterotrimeric G proteins in the blue-light transduction chains of both responses. G protein agonists (guanosine triphosphate analogues, cholera toxin, pertussis toxin) mimicked in darkness the effect of blue light for both responses, except for cholera toxin, which was ineffective in increasing the ,-carotene content of dark-grown mycelia. Experiments combining the two toxins indicated that photocarotenogenesis could involve an inhibitory G protein (Gi) type, whereas photomorphogenesis may depend on a transducin (Gt type)-like heterotrimer. The determination of the carB (phytoene dehydrogenase) and chs1 (chitin synthase 1) gene expression under various conditions of exogenous challenge supports the G protein participation. The fluctuations of the time course measurements of the carB and chs1 transcripts are discussed. [source] Anti-tumour and immuno-stimulating activities of the fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces japonica, a new type of Cordyceps spp.PHYTOTHERAPY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2003Kuk Hyun Shin Abstract The anti-tumor and immuno-stimulating activities of the fruiting bodies of Paecilomyces japonica (PJ), grown on silk-worm larvae and of Cordyceps sinensis (CS), a wild form of Cordyceps Fungi, were investigated. Ethanol extracts of both fungi, when administered for 9 consecutive days, at 50 and 100 mg/kg i.p., caused a signi,cant increase in life span and a signi,cant decrease in tumor weights and volumes, in mice inoculated with Sarcoma-180 tumor cells. Both fungal extracts were demonstrated to exhibit phagocytosis enhancing activity as measured by carbon clearance in mice. PJ extracts, when administered i.p. at 50 mg/kg/day for 3 consecutive days, exhibited a signi,cant enhancement of phagocytosis, its potency as expressed by the regression coef,cient ratio, RCtr/RCc, being 1.64 (the phagocytosis index = 2). This was approximately the same for that of zymosan (RCtr/RCc = 1.55, PI = 2), a typical phagocytosis enhancer, whereas CS extracts exhibited a moderate phagocytosis enhancing activity at the same dose level (RCtr/RCc = 1.30, PI = 1). Both fungal extracts caused a signi,cant increase in an acid phosphatase activity, representing lysosomal enzymes, in macrophages at 20 and 100 µg/ml in vitro, in compliance with in vivo results. These results suggest that the anti-tumor activity of both fungi might be related to an immuno-stimulating function. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Mycophagy and its influence on habitat use and ranging patterns in Callimico goeldiiAMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Leila M. Porter Abstract Mycophagy has been documented in a number of species of marmosets and lion tamarins (Callitrichinae) but its effect on ranging behavior is not known. We present the results of 10 years of research on five groups of Goeldi's monkey (Callimico goeldii) at a field site in northwestern Bolivia. We studied the diet and ranging behavior of two of the groups. On average, groups contained 4.5 individuals (range 2.0,9.0), but they gradually decreased in size until only the breeding female remained in the home range. The annual diet was composed of fungi (31.1,34.9%), fruits (34.0,40.6%), prey (17.4,30.1%), and exudates (1.0,10.9%). They had large home ranges (114,150 ha) and over time individuals tended to shift their core areas of use. They used secondary and bamboo forest and forest with dense understories more than expected based on availability. We suggest that the large home ranges and shifting core areas used by C. goeldii are components of a foraging strategy to track patchy, low density, and ephemeral fungal fruiting bodies. Our results, along with data published on other callitrichines, indicate that groups of Leontopithecus, Callithrix, and Callimico that eat fungi have larger home ranges than those that do not. Mycophagy is one of the several factors that evidently affect home range size in callitrichines. Fungi are clearly an important food source for a number of populations, but additional studies are needed to determine why some eat fungi frequently while others do not. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] A low-molecular mass ribonuclease from the brown oyster mushroomCHEMICAL BIOLOGY & DRUG DESIGN, Issue 1 2005L. Xia Abstract:, A ribonuclease, with a molecular mass of 9 kDa and an N-terminal sequence resembling the sequence of a fragment of tRNA/rRNA cytosine-C5-methylase and a fragment of a alanyl-tRNA synthetase, was isolated from fresh fruiting bodies of the brown oyster mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus. The ribonuclease was purified using a very simple protocol that comprised ion-exchange chromatography on carboxymethyl (CM)-cellulose and affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel. Subsequent gel filtration by fast protein liquid chromatography on Superdex 75 and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed that the ribonuclease was purified after the first two chromatographic steps. The ribonuclease was adsorbed on CM-cellulose and Affi-gel blue gel. The ribonuclease exhibited the highest activity toward poly A, lower activity toward poly C, slight activity toward poly G, and indiscernible activity toward poly U. The enzyme was stimulated upon exposure to 1 ,m Mg2+ and 10 ,m Zn2+, but was inhibited by the following ions at 10 mm: Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, and Fe3+. The ribonuclease required a pH of 8.0 and a temperature of 50,70 °C to express maximal activity. It had a Km of 60 ,m toward yeast tRNA. It lacked mitogenic and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibiting activities, but exerted antiproliferative activity toward leukemia L1210 cells. [source] N -Glucosyl-1H -indole Derivatives from Cortinarius brunneus (Basidiomycetes)CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, Issue 4 2008Axel Teichert Abstract Two new N -glucosylated indole alkaloids were isolated from fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Cortinarius brunneus (Pers.) Fr. The structures were elucidated by means of the spectroscopic data. Additionally, the very recently reported compounds N- 1 -,- glucopyranosyl-3-(carboxymethyl)-1H -indole (3) and N- 1 -,- glucopyranosyl-3-(2-methoxy-2-oxoethyl)-1H -indole (4) could be detected. Compound 3 is the N -glucoside of the plant-growth regulator 1H -indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), but, in contrast, it does not exhibit auxin-like activity in an Arabidopsis thaliana tap root elongation assay. [source] A New Meroterpenoid Pigment from the Basidiomycete Albatrellus confluensCHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, Issue 3 2008Xiao-Long Yang Abstract A new farnesyl phenol named (+)-(R)-grifolinone C (1) has been isolated from the fruiting bodies of the basidiomycete Albatrellus confluens. (+)-(R)-Grifolinone C (1), a dimeric meroterpenoid, is accompanied by albatrellin (2), grifolinone B (3), grifolin (4), and grifolinone A (5). Albatrellin (2) exhibited cytotoxic activity against HepG2 human lung carcinoma cells with IC50 value of 1.55,,g ml,1. The structures were established on the basis of spectral evidence (IR, 1D- and 2D-NMR, and MS analyses). [source] Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Tumor-Promoting Effects of Triterpene Acids and Sterols from the Fungus Ganoderma lucidumCHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, Issue 2 2007Toshihiro Akihisa Abstract A series of lanostane-type triterpene acids, including eleven lucidenic acids (3, 4, 9, 10, 13,19) and six ganoderic acids (20,22, 24, 26, 27), as well as six sterols (28,33), all isolated from the fruiting bodies of the fungus Ganoderma lucidum, were examined for their inhibitory effects on the induction of Epstein,Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) by 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells, a known primary screening test for anti-tumor promoters. All of the compounds tested, except for ganolactone (27) and three sterols (29,31), showed potent inhibitory effects on EBV-EA induction, with IC50 values of 235,370,mol ratio/32,pmol TPA. In addition, nine lucidenic acids (1, 2, 5,8, 11, 12, 18) and four ganoderic acids (20, 23,25) were found to inhibit TPA-induced inflammation (1,,g/ear) in mice, with ID50 values of 0.07,0.39,mg per ear. Further, 20-hydroxylucidenic acid N (18) exhibited inhibitory effects on skin-tumor promotion in an in vivo two-stage mouse-skin carcinogenesis test based on 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) as initiator, and with TPA as promoter. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||