Swainsonine-containing plants and their relationship to endophytic fungi.

Abstract

Swainsonine, an indolizidine alkaloid with significant physiological activity, is an α-mannosidase and mannosidase II inhibitor that alters glycoprotein processing and causes lysosomal storage disease. Swainsonine is present in a number of plant species worldwide and causes severe toxicosis in livestock grazing these plants. Consumption of these plants by grazing animals leads to a chronic wasting disease characterized by weight loss, depression, altered behavior, decreased libido, infertility, and death. This review focuses on the three plant families and the associated taxa that contain swainsonine; the fungi that produce swainsonine, specifically the fungal endophytes associated with swainsonine-containing taxa; studies investigating the plant, endophyte, and swainsonine relationship; the influence of environmental factors on swainsonine concentrations in planta; and areas of future research.

• Authors: Daniel Cook, Dale R Gardner, James A Pfister
• Journal: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry (J Agric Food Chem) Vol. 62 Issue 30 Pg. 7326-34 (Jul 30 2014) ISSN: 1520-5118 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24758700 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Swainsonine

Topics

• Animal Feed (analysis)
• Animals
• Astragalus Plant (chemistry)
• Endophytes (metabolism)
• Fabaceae (chemistry, classification)
• Fungi (classification, physiology)
• Lysosomal Storage Diseases (chemically induced)
• Oxytropis (chemistry)
• Plant Poisoning (veterinary)
• Plants, Toxic (chemistry)
• Seeds (chemistry)
• Swainsonine (chemistry, toxicity)
• Symbiosis (physiology)