Penicillium excelsum sp. nov from the Brazil Nut Tree Ecosystem in the Amazon Basin'.

Marta Hiromi Taniwaki,Fernanda P Massi,Beatriz T Iamanaka,John I Pitt,Maria Helena P Fungaro,Jens C Frisvad,Dee A Carter

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0143189

Abstract

A new Penicillium species, P. excelsum, is described here using morphological characters, extrolite and partial sequence data from the ITS, β-tubulin and calmodulin genes. It was isolated repeatedly using samples of nut shells and flowers from the brazil nut tree, Bertolletia excelsa, as well as bees and ants from the tree ecosystem in the Amazon rainforest. The species produces andrastin A, curvulic acid, penicillic acid and xanthoepocin, and has unique partial β-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences. The holotype of P. excelsum is CCT 7772, while ITAL 7572 and IBT 31516 are cultures derived from the holotype.

Highlights

Penicillium species are very important agents in the natural processes of recycling biological matter
All plates were incubated at 25°C for 7 days, all colonies of Penicillium species were transferred onto Czapek yeast extract agar [2] and incubated at 25°C for 7 days for further identification
116 isolates of -the new species described here as Penicillium excelsum were found in brazil nut shells and kernels, from soil close to Bertholletia excelsa trees, and from flowers, bees and ants associated with Bertholletia trees

Summary

Introduction

Penicillium species are very important agents in the natural processes of recycling biological matter. Some species cause deterioration of all sorts of man-made goods; some rot fruit or spoil foods; some species secrete secondary metabolites (extrolites) such as mycotoxins (e.g. ochratoxins, patulin, citrinin), while other extrolites are used as pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics such as penicillin and the cholesterol-lowering agent lovastatin [1, 2, 3, 4]. Some species are known for their production of organic acids and diverse enzymes that degrade a wide variety of complex biomolecules [1, 2, 3]. A variety of species are capable of producing or modifying biological chemicals, and this field is set for great expansion. A few species are directly involved in food production: this field is not likely to expand, because many species produce mycotoxins. More than 350 species are currently accepted in this genus [5]

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Results

Conclusion