Abstract |
The caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (previously called Cordyceps sinensis) has been used for centuries in Asia as a tonic to improve health and longevity. Recent studies show that O. sinensis produces a wide range of biological effects on cells, laboratory animals and humans, including anti- fatigue, anti- infection, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti- tumor activities. In view of the rarity of O. sinensis fruiting bodies in nature, cultivation of its anamorph mycelium represents a useful alternative for large-scale production. However, O. sinensis fruiting bodies harvested in nature harbor several fungal contaminants, a phenomenon that led to the isolation and characterization of a large number of incorrect mycelium strains. We report here the isolation of a mycelium from a fruiting body of O. sinensis and we identify the isolate as O. sinensis' anamorph (also called Hirsutella sinensis) based on multi-locus sequence typing of several fungal genes (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, RPB1, RPB2, MCM7, β- tubulin, TEF-1α, and ATP6). The main characteristics of the isolated mycelium, including its optimal growth at low temperature (16°C) and its biochemical composition, are similar to that of O. sinensis fruiting bodies, indicating that the mycelium strain characterized here may be used as a substitute for the rare and expensive O. sinensis fruiting bodies found in nature.
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Authors | Yun-Fei Ko, Jian-Ching Liau, Chien-Sheng Lee, Chen-Yaw Chiu, Jan Martel, Chuan-Sheng Lin, Shun-Fu Tseng, David M Ojcius, Chia-Chen Lu, Hsin-Chih Lai, John D Young |
Journal | PloS one
(PLoS One)
Vol. 12
Issue 1
Pg. e0168734
( 2017)
ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States |
PMID | 28046129
(Publication Type: Journal Article)
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Chemical References |
- DNA, Fungal
- DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
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Topics |
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
- Cordyceps
(classification, genetics, isolation & purification)
- DNA, Fungal
(genetics)
- DNA, Ribosomal Spacer
(genetics)
- Fruiting Bodies, Fungal
(growth & development)
- Multilocus Sequence Typing
- Mycelium
(growth & development)
- Mycological Typing Techniques
- Phylogeny
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