Extract Of Penicillium Research Articles

New communesin derivatives from the fungus Penicillium sp. derived from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa.

The ethyl acetate extract of Penicillium sp., derived from the Mediterranean sponge Axinella verrucosa, yielded the known compound communesin B (1) and its new congeners communesins C (2) and D (3), as well as the known compounds griseofulvin, dechlorogriseofulvin, and oxaline. All structures were unambiguously established by 1D and 2D NMR and MS data. In several bioassays performed on different leukemia cell lines, the communesins exhibited moderate antiproliferative activity.

Penicillium andAspergillus species in the habitats of allergy patients in the Tulsa, Oklahoma area

Penicillium andAspergillus have been recognized as important aeroallergens for more than 30 years, and are especially significant in indoor environments. There are over 400 species ofPenicillium andAspergillus combined, but there is little information on which species occur most frequently in the environment, or if each exhibits unique allergenic properties. A preliminary study showed no overlap between those species isolated from an outdoor site in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the species used in immunotherapy at allergy clinics in the Tulsa area. Pursuing this line of research, air samples were collected as three seasonal samples (over a 6 month period) in the homes or offices of ten allergy patients known to be allergic toPenicillium and/orAspergillus. Twenty three species ofPenicillium and 12 species ofAspergillus were identified from these samples through isolation, macroscopic, and microscopic examination.Penicillium corylophilum, P. glabrum, Aspergillus niger, andA. flavipes were the most abundant species isolated, supporting the data obtained in a preliminary study. At least in the Tulsa area, it appears that atopic patients are being tested and treated with extracts ofPenicillium andAspergillus species that are either not present or not abundant in the local indoor or outdoor environments. Additional research is necessary to determine if the environmental isolates share allergens with those species used in immunotherapy.

Studies of allergen extract stability: The effects of dilution and mixing

BACKGROUND: However potent the allergy extracts provided by manufacturers, they are subject to deterioration with storage, especially after dilution or mixture with other extracts. OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to assess separately the deterioration during storage in allergen extract potency caused by dilution or by mixture with allergen extracts that have been reported to contain proteases. METHODS: To assess the effect of dilution, three serial 10-fold dilutions of cat, short ragweed, Bermuda grass, and Dermatophagoides farinae extracts were prepared alone or combined with other extracts. They were stored at 4° C for 3 and 12 months. To assess the effect of mixing with other extracts that have been reported to contain proteases, extracts of timothy grass, Bermuda grass, short ragweed, Russian thistle, white oak, box elder, D. farinae, and cat were stored alone or combined with one or more extracts of American cockroach, Alternaria spp., Cladosporium spp., Penicillium spp., and a house dust mite mix for 3 months at 4° C. RESULTS: Bermuda grass, cat, and house dust mite extracts incurred significant loss of potency at all dilutions with storage. Short ragweed was stable at all dilutions. Potency of extracts of timothy grass, Bermuda grass, Russian thistle, white oak, box elder, and cat were all reduced by combination with one or more extracts potentially containing proteases. Only short ragweed and D. farinae, which was in a final concentration of 25% glycerin, were resistant. Alternaria extract was most frequently responsible for loss of potency, followed by cockroach and Cladosporium extracts. Combination with extracts of Penicillium and a house dust mite mix did not reduce the potency of any extract. CONCLUSIONS: Both dilution alone and mixture with extracts reported to contain proteases caused loss of potency of most extracts tested. Ragweed was uniquely resistant under both conditions of storage. (J A LLERGY C LIN I MMUNOL 1996;98:382-8.)

Tremorgenic fungal toxins.

Certain species ofAspergillus andPenicillium are known to be capable of synthesising tremorgenic toxins. At least ten such compounds have been described which on the basis of chemical similarity can be separated into four groups: the penitrems, the fumitremorgenverruculogen group, the paspalines and the tryptoquivaline group. During 1976 a condition resembling Ryegrass Staggers was seen in adult cattle and sheep grazing pastures in eastern England. No tremorgenic toxins were detected in the pastures but extracts ofPenicillium canescens andP. clavigerum isolated from soil/herbage were found to contain penitrem A. Similarly a toxin closely resembling verruculogen was isolated from extracts ofP. nigricans, P. piceum andP. raistrickii. Trembling syndromes were noted in mice, calves and lambs following the administration of these toxins but no gross or microscopical lesions were apparent in calves or lambs at autopsy. Fungi capable of producing penitrem A or verruculogen in vitro were isolated from soils derived from many parts of England and Wales. The penitrem A producers were nearly all identified asP. canescens. Most producers of verruculogen were identified asAspergillus fumigatus and some asA. fischeri.

Penitrem A and Roquefortine Production by Penicillium commune

Extracts of Penicillium commune, a fungus isolated from cottonseed, showed biological activity in day-old cockerels. Two neurotoxic metabolites were isolated and identified as penitrem A and roquefortine. This is the first report of roquefortine being produced by a fungus other than Penicillium roqueforti as well as the first report of penitrem A and roquefortine being produced in the same culture. Production of these toxins on liquid media and cottonseed was determined.

Activation of the complement sequence by extracts of bacteria and fungi associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis

Complement (C) consumption by antigens associated with hypersensitivity pneumonitis was investigated. Micropolyspora faeni in the presence of precipitating antibodies consumed C in a manner similar to the BSA-anti BSA system. An extract of M. faeni was shown to consume C and convert C3PA to C3A in the absence of detectable antibodies. In addition, three species of Aspergillus and two strains of Thermoactinomyces vulgaris were also shown to have the same activity with respect to C3PA. Mucor racemosus, Hormodendrum sp. and a mixed extract of Penicillium did not convert C3PA.

Subterminal oxidation of n-tridecane by a cell-free extract of Penicillium.

Subterminal oxidation of n-tridecane by a cell-free extract of Penicillium.

Role of ammonium ion in the biosynthesis of beta-nitropropionic acid.

The metabolism of inorganic nitrogen compounds was studied in extracts of Penicillium atrovenetum which had been grown under conditions in which beta-nitropropionic acid (BNP) synthesis varied from 0 to 12.5 mumoles per ml. None of the extracts was able to oxidize ammonium ion or nitrite. An enzyme was detected which catalyzed the oxidation of hydroxylamine with cytochrome c as the electron acceptor. The activity of this enzyme was not related to the ability of the organism to produce BNP. Nitrate and nitrite reductase activities were detected only in P. atrovenetum cultures grown on nitrate as a nitrogen source. These results indicated that BNP synthesis is probably not directly associated with the metabolism of inorganic nitrogen compounds and that an organic pathway for the formation of the nitro group is more likely. The activities of certain enzymes related to the metabolism of aspartic acid were investigated. Aspartate ammonia-lyase activity could not be detected in P. atrovenetum extracts. Aspartate aminotransferase and glutamate dehydrogenase activities were found in the extracts but were highest in the cultures which did not produce BNP. beta-Nitroacrylic acid reductase activity was highest in extracts of cultures which were actively synthesizing BNP.

The Action of Penicillium Extracts in Experimental Tuberculosis

The Action of Penicillium Extracts in Experimental Tuberculosis