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Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton,... 2017Penicillium are very diverse and cosmopolite fungi, about 350 species are recognized within this genus. It is subdivided in four subgenera Aspergilloides, Penicillium,... (Review)
Review
Penicillium are very diverse and cosmopolite fungi, about 350 species are recognized within this genus. It is subdivided in four subgenera Aspergilloides, Penicillium, Furcatum, and Biverticillium; recently the first three has been included in Penicillium genus, and Biverticillium under Talaromyces. They occur worldwide and play important roles as decomposers of organic materials, cause destructive rots in the food industry where produces a wide range of mycotoxins; they are considered enzyme factories, and common indoor air irritants. In terms of human health are rarely associated as human pathogen because they hardly growth at 37°, while the main risk is related to ingestion of food contaminated by mycotoxins produced by several species of Penicillium. Various mycotoxins can occur in foods and feeds contaminated by Penicillium species, the most important are ochratoxin A and patulin; for which regulation are imposed in a number of countries, and at a less extent cyclopiazonic acid. In this chapter we summarize the main aspect of the morphology, ecology and toxigenicity of Penicillium foodborne mycotoxigenic species which belong mainly in subgenus Penicillium sections Brevicompacta, Chrysogena, Fasciculata, Penicillium, and Roquefortorum.
Topics: Animals; Crops, Agricultural; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; Food Contamination; Food Safety; Humans; Mycotoxins; Penicillium; Phenotype
PubMed: 27924532
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6707-0_5 -
Anti-cancer Drugs Jan 2017Secondary metabolites from fungal endophytes have become an interesting, attractive, and alternative source for novel pharmaceuticals. Several novel compounds with... (Review)
Review
Secondary metabolites from fungal endophytes have become an interesting, attractive, and alternative source for novel pharmaceuticals. Several novel compounds with diversified chemical structures have been isolated from endophytic fungi. The genus Penicillium has been exploited worldwide for its biosynthetic potential for producing highly versatile cytotoxic secondary metabolites. Many of the compounds isolated from various species of the genus Penicillium have shown promising in-vitro as well as in-vivo growth-inhibitory properties against different human cancers. Thus, in relation to this genus, Penicillium represents the most dependable source of cytotoxic compounds with potential applications as leads for anticancer drugs. This review outlines endophytic secondary metabolites from the genus Penicillium with a relevant role as cytotoxic agents.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Humans; Penicillium
PubMed: 27552492
DOI: 10.1097/CAD.0000000000000423 -
Journal of Applied Microbiology Apr 2015This is a comprehensive review, with 114 references, of the chemical diversity found in the fungus Penicillium roqueforti. Secondary metabolites of an alkaloidal nature... (Review)
Review
This is a comprehensive review, with 114 references, of the chemical diversity found in the fungus Penicillium roqueforti. Secondary metabolites of an alkaloidal nature are described, for example, ergot alkaloids such as festuclavine, isofumigaclavines A and B, and diketopiperazine alkaloids such as roquefortines A-D, which are derived from imidazole. Other metabolites are marcfortines A-C, PR-toxin, eremofortines A-E, mycophenolic and penicillic acids, and some γ-lactones. Also, recent developments related to the structural characteristics of botryodiplodin and andrastin are studied-the latter has anticancer properties. Finally, we discuss the enzymes of P. roqueforti, which can participate in the biotechnological production of high value-added molecules, as well as the use of secondary metabolite profiles for taxonomic purposes.
Topics: Fungal Proteins; Industrial Microbiology; Penicillium; Secondary Metabolism
PubMed: 25421646
DOI: 10.1111/jam.12706 -
Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology... Oct 2004
Topics: Air Microbiology; Allergens; Antigens, Fungal; Humans; Mycoses; Penicillium; Respiratory Hypersensitivity; Spores, Fungal
PubMed: 15521363
DOI: 10.1016/s1081-1206(10)61386-5 -
The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 2000Most species of Penicillium are considered relatively benign with respect to causing human disease. However, one species, P. marneffei, has emerged as a significant... (Review)
Review
Most species of Penicillium are considered relatively benign with respect to causing human disease. However, one species, P. marneffei, has emerged as a significant pathogen particularly among individuals who live in Southeast Asia and are concurrently infected with the human immunodeficiency virus. While environmental and epidemiological studies have yet to resolve the reason for the heightened virulence of P. marneffi, one characteristic does distinguish this fungus from other Penicillium species. Whereas the latter grow as monomorphic moulds bearing typical asexual propagules (conidia), P. marneffei is thermally dimorphic. At room temperature, P. marneffei exhibits the morphology characteristic of the genus. In contrast to other Penicillia, though, P. marneffei grows as a yeast-like entity (arthroconidium) when found in diseased tissue or cultivated at 37 degrees C. Studies in our laboratory have focused on the differential gene expression between the mould and arthroconidial phases. Many of the genes whose expression differs during mould-to-arthrocondium transition are related to energy metabolism. A better understanding of gene expression during morphogenesis in P. marneffei may help detect unique target sites or cellular processes that can be exploited in the development of antifungal agents or immunomodulation therapies.
Topics: AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; Humans; Mycoses; Penicillium; Virulence
PubMed: 10651292
DOI: 10.1111/j.1550-7408.2000.tb00006.x -
Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science... Nov 2020Penicillium expansum is a necrotrophic plant pathogen with a wide range of fruit hosts. It causes blue mold rot during fruit storage, transport, and sale, resulting in... (Review)
Review
Penicillium expansum is a necrotrophic plant pathogen with a wide range of fruit hosts. It causes blue mold rot during fruit storage, transport, and sale, resulting in huge economic losses to the fruit industry. Moreover, this pathogen is also the main producer of patulin, a toxic secondary metabolite that contaminates fruit and fruit-derived products and impairs human health. Therefore, understanding molecular basis of the pathogenicity and patulin biosynthesis of the fungal pathogen has important scientific significance and also plays an important guiding role in the research and development of new control technologies. Here, we comprehensively summarize the recent research progress, particularly regarding the molecular aspects of pathogenicity, patulin biosynthesis, and the related regulatory mechanisms, as well as control technologies for blue mold rot in the fruit industry.
Topics: Food Microbiology; Food Storage; Fruit; Patulin; Penicillium; Plant Diseases
PubMed: 33337032
DOI: 10.1111/1541-4337.12612 -
Advances in Applied Microbiology 2014Taxonomy is a dynamic discipline and name changes of fungi with biotechnological, industrial, or medical importance are often difficult to understand for researchers in... (Review)
Review
Taxonomy is a dynamic discipline and name changes of fungi with biotechnological, industrial, or medical importance are often difficult to understand for researchers in the applied field. Species belonging to the genera Aspergillus and Penicillium are commonly used or isolated, and inadequate taxonomy or uncertain nomenclature of these genera can therefore lead to tremendous confusion. Misidentification of strains used in biotechnology can be traced back to (1) recent changes in nomenclature, (2) new taxonomic insights, including description of new species, and/or (3) incorrect identifications. Changes in the recent published International Code of Nomenclature for Algae, Fungi and Plants will lead to numerous name changes of existing Aspergillus and Penicillium species and an overview of the current names of biotechnological important species is given. Furthermore, in (biotechnological) literature old and invalid names are still used, such as Aspergillus awamori, A. foetidus, A. kawachii, Talaromyces emersonii, Acremonium cellulolyticus, and Penicillium funiculosum. An overview of these and other species with their correct names is presented. Furthermore, the biotechnologically important species Talaromyces thermophilus is here combined in Thermomyces as Th. dupontii. The importance of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and related genera is also illustrated by the high number of undertaken genome sequencing projects. A number of these strains are incorrectly identified or atypical strains are selected for these projects. Recommendations for correct strain selection are given here. Phylogenetic analysis shows a close relationship between the genome-sequenced strains of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Monascus. Talaromyces stipitatus and T. marneffei (syn. Penicillium marneffei) are closely related to Thermomyces lanuginosus and Th. dupontii (syn. Talaromyces thermophilus), and these species appear to be distantly related to Aspergillus and Penicillium. In the last part of this review, an overview of heterothallic reproduction in Aspergillus and Penicillium is given. The new insights in the taxonomy of Aspergillus, Penicillium, and related genera will help to interpret the results generated with comparative genomics studies or other studies dealing with evolution of, for example, enzymes, mating-type loci, virulence genes, and secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters.
Topics: Aspergillus; Fungi; Genome, Fungal; Industrial Microbiology; Penicillium; Phylogeny
PubMed: 24377856
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800262-9.00004-4 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jan 2006Penicillium marneffei infection is an important emerging public health problem, especially among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus in the areas of... (Review)
Review
Penicillium marneffei infection is an important emerging public health problem, especially among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus in the areas of endemicity in southeast Asia, India, and China. Within these regions, P. marneffei infection is regarded as an AIDS-defining illness, and the severity of the disease depends on the immunological status of the infected individual. Early diagnosis by serologic and molecular assay-based methods have been developed and are proving to be important in diagnosing infection. The occurrence of natural reservoirs and the molecular epidemiology of P. marneffei have been studied; however, the natural history and mode of transmission of the organism remain unclear. Soil exposure, especially during the rainy season, has been suggested to be a critical risk factor. Using a highly discriminatory molecular technique, multilocus microsatellite typing, to characterize this fungus, several isolates from bamboo rats and humans were shown to share identical multilocus genotypes. These data suggest either that transmission of P. marneffei may occur from rodents to humans or that rodents and humans are coinfected from common environmental sources. These putative natural cycles of P. marneffei infection need further investigation. Studies on the fungal genetics of P. marneffei have been focused on the characterization of genetic determinants that may play important roles in asexual development, mycelial-to-yeast phase transition, and the expression of antigenic determinants. Molecular studies have identified several genes involved in germination, hyphal development, conidiogenesis, and yeast cell polarity. A number of functionally important genes, such as the malate synthase- and catalase-peroxidase protein-encoding genes, have been identified as being upregulated in the yeast phase. Future investigations pertaining to the roles of these genes in host-fungus interactions may provide the key knowledge to understanding the pathogenicity of P. marneffei.
Topics: Humans; Molecular Epidemiology; Mycoses; Penicillium
PubMed: 16418525
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.19.1.95-110.2006 -
Research in Microbiology Oct 2003Asexual spores or conidia are dispersive propagules produced as an alternative to vegetative growth by a diverse group of filamentous fungi. The cellular development... (Review)
Review
Asexual spores or conidia are dispersive propagules produced as an alternative to vegetative growth by a diverse group of filamentous fungi. The cellular development programmes which govern conidiation have been intensely studied in the last few decades, although important gaps stand in the way of our understanding of this phenomenon, namely in the areas of the environmental sensing mechanisms and signal transduction pathways. The aim of this review is to summarize the current advances in conidiation induction in the genus Penicillium, and to put them into context with the state of our knowledge stemming from work in widely studied fungal model systems.
Topics: Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; Penicillium; Signal Transduction; Spores, Fungal
PubMed: 14527654
DOI: 10.1016/S0923-2508(03)00168-2 -
Current Opinion in Microbiology Dec 2011Fungi have some of the most diverse sex lives in nature, ranging from self-fertility to obligate outcrossing systems with several thousand different sexes, although at... (Review)
Review
Fungi have some of the most diverse sex lives in nature, ranging from self-fertility to obligate outcrossing systems with several thousand different sexes, although at least 20% of fungal species have no known sexual stage. However, recent evidence suggests that many supposed 'asexual' species do indeed have the potential to undergo sexual reproduction. Using experimental and genomic findings from Aspergillus and Penicillium species as examples, it is argued that evidence such as the presence and expression of apparently functional sex-related genes, the distribution of mating-type genes, detection of recombination from population genetic analyses, and the discovery of extant sexual cycles reveal an on-going revolution in the understanding of fungal asexuality.
Topics: Aspergillus; Cell Division; Evolution, Molecular; Genes, Mating Type, Fungal; Penicillium; Phylogeny; Recombination, Genetic
PubMed: 22032932
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2011.10.001