Ganodermin, an antifungal protein from fruiting bodies of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum

A 15-kDa antifungal protein, designated ganodermin, was isolated from the medical mushroom Ganoderma lucidum. The isolation procedure utilized chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, Affi-gel blue gel, CM-Sepharose and Superdex 75. Ganodermin was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel and CM-Sepharose. Ganodermin inhibited the mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum and Physalospora piricola with an IC50 value of 15.2 microM, 12.4 microM and 18.1 microM, respectively. It was devoid of hemagglutinating, deoxyribonuclease, ribonuclease and protease inhibitory activities.     

Eryngin, a novel antifungal peptide from fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Pleurotus eryngii

An antifungal peptide with a molecular mass of 10k Da was isolated from fruiting bodies of the mushroom Pleurotus eryngii. The peptide, designated as eryngin, inhibited mycelial growth in Fusarium oxysporum and Mycosphaerella arachidicola. It was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel and S-Sepharose. Its N-terminal sequence demonstrated some similarity to the antifungal protein from the mushroom Lyophyllum shimeiji and little resemblance to thaumatin and thaumatin-like proteins.     

A fibrinolytic metalloprotease from the fruiting bodies of an edible mushroom, Armillariella mellea

A fibrinolytic metalloprotease has been purified from the fruiting bodies of the edible honey mushroom (Armillariella mellea). The enzyme has a molecular weight of 18538.1508, as measured by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and includes Zn2+ ion as found by ICP/MS. The N-terminal amino acid sequence, XXYNGXTXSRQTTLV, do not match any known protein or open reading frame. It hydrolyzes fibrinogen as well as fibrin, but does not show any proteolytic activity for other blood proteins such as thrombin, human albumin, bovine albumin, human IgG, hemoglobin, or urokinase. This protease hydrolyzes both A alpha and B beta subunits of human fibrinogen with equal efficiency. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline, indicating that the enzyme is a metalloprotease. No inhibition was found with PMSF, E-64, pepstatin, and 2-mercaptoethanol. The activity of the purified enzyme was slightly increased by Mg2+, Zn2+, and Co2+, but the enzyme was totally inhibited by Hg2+. It has broad substrate specificity for synthetic peptides, and a pH optimum at 7, suggested that the purified enzyme was a neutral protease. It was thermally stable up to 60 degrees C and the maximum fibrinolytic activity was at 55 degrees C.     

Isolation and characterization of a novel angiotensin I-converting enzyme inhibitory peptide derived from the edible mushroom Tricholoma giganteum

The fruiting body of Tricholoma giganteum has many pharmaceutical uses and has long been utilized as a home remedy in Asia. This study describes the extraction and characterization of the first angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide from T. giganteum. The maximum ACE inhibitory activity (IC50: 0.31 mg) was obtained when the fruiting body of T. giganteum was extracted with distilled water at 30 degrees C for 3 h. After the purification of ACE inhibitory peptides with ultrafiltration, Sephadex G-25 column chromatography, and reverse-phase HPLC, an active fraction with an IC50 of 0.04 mg and a yield of 0.3% was obtained. The ACE inhibitory peptide was a novel tripeptide, showing very low similarity to other ACE inhibitory peptide sequences, and was sequenced as Gly-Glu-Pro. The purified ACE inhibitor from T. giganteum competitively inhibited ACE, and it maintained inhibitory activity even after incubation with proteases. ACE inhibitor from T. giganteum showed a clear antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), at a dosage of 1 mg/kg.     

A novel ribonuclease with antiproliferative activity from fresh fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Hypsizigus marmoreus

An 18-kDa ribonuclease (RNase) with a novel N-terminal sequence was purified from fresh fruiting bodies of the mushroom Hypsizigus marmoreus. The purification protocol comprised ion exchange chromatography on DEAE cellulose, affinity chromatography on Affi-gel blue gel, ion exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose and Q-Sepharose and gel filtration by fast protein liquid chromatography on Superdex 75. The starting buffer was 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.2), 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.2), 10 mM NH(4)OAc buffer (pH 5), 10 mM NH(4)HCO(3) buffer (pH 9.4) and 200 mM NH(4)HCO(3) (pH 8.5), respectively. Absorbed proteins were desorbed using NaCl added to the starting buffer. A 42-fold purification of the enzyme was achieved. The RNase was unadsorbed on DEAE cellulose, Affi-gel blue gel and CM-cellulose but adsorbed on Q-Sepharose. It exhibited maximal RNase activity at pH 5 and 70 degrees C. Some RNase activity was detectable at 100 degrees C. It demonstrated the highest ribonucleolytic activity (196 U/mg) toward poly C, the next highest activity (126 U/mg) toward poly A, and much weaker activity toward poly U (48 U/mg) and poly G (41 U/mg). The RNase inhibited [(3)H-methyl]-thymidine uptake by leukemia L1210 cells with an IC(50) of 60 microM.     

Isolation of a novel agglutinin with complex carbohydrate binding specificity from fresh fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Lyophyllum shimeiji.

A hemagglutinin, with a molecular weight of 30,000 and expressing hemagglutinating activity which could not be inhibited by simple sugars and glycoproteins, was isolated from fresh fruiting bodies of the edible mushroom Lyophyllum shimeiji. The protein was adsorbed on CM-Sepharose even in 20 mM ammonium acetate (pH 5.5) containing 1 M NaCl and was desorbed by 20 mM ammonium bicarbonate (pH 9). The hemagglutinating activity was subsequently adsorbed on Mono S in 20 mM ammonium acetate (pH 5.5) and was desorbed by a linear gradient of 0.2-0.5 M NaCl in ammonium acetate buffer. The hemagglutinin exhibited a novel N-terminal sequence not found in any lectin and hemagglutinin reported so far. It was devoid of antifungal activity.     

Two new alliacane sesquiterpenes from the fruiting bodies of edible mushroom Gomphus purpuraceus

Two new alliacane sesquiterpenes, named purpuracolide B (1) and purpuracolide C (2), have been isolated from the fruiting bodies of edible mushroom Gomphus purpuraceus. Their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic studies including electronic circular dichroism calculation. Furthermore, their antiproliferative effects were evaluated in breast cancer cells MCF7, MDA-MB-231 and 4T1.     

A novel ribonuclease from fruiting bodies of the common edible mushroom Pleurotus eryngii

A ribonuclease with a temperature optimum of about 70 degrees C and a pH optimum of 6.5 was isolated from fruiting bodies of the mushroom Pleurotus eryngii. The ribonuclease was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel and S-Sepharose. It possessed a molecular mass of 16 kDa, and exhibited higher ribonucleolytic activity toward poly A and poly G and lower ribonucleolytic activity toward poly C and poly U. Its N-terminal sequence was distinctly different from those of other mushroom ribonucleases, and resembled that of Pleurotus tuber-regium only by 40%. Furthermore, its thermostability characteristics, polyhomoribonucleotide specificity and molecular mass were dissimilar to those of other mushroom ribonucleases.     

A distinctive ribonuclease from fresh fruiting bodies of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum

A ribonuclease with an N-terminal sequence distinct from other mushroom ribonucleases was isolated from fresh fruiting bodies of the medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum. The ribonuclease was adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and Q-Sepharose, and unadsorbed on CM-Sepharose. It possessed a molecular mass of 42 kDa as judged by gel filtration by fast protein liquid chromatography on Superdex 75 and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its molecular mass was similar to that of straw mushroom ribonuclease but much higher compared with those of other mushroom ribonucleases. The ribonuclease was unique among mushroom ribonucleases in that it exhibited the highest potency toward poly(U), followed by poly(A). Its activity toward poly(G) and poly(C) was about one-half of that toward poly(A) and one-quarter of that toward poly(U). A pH of 4.0 and a temperature of 60 degrees C were required for optimal activity of the enzyme. The optimum pH was low compared with those reported for other mushroom ribonucleases.     

An amylase from fresh fruiting bodies of the monkey head mushroom Hericium Erinaceum

An amylase with a molecular mass of 55 kDa and an N-terminal sequence exhibiting similarity to enzyme from Bacteroides thetaitaomicron was isolated from fruiting bodies of the monkey head mushroom Hericium erinaceum. The purification scheme included extraction with distilled water, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and SP-sepharose, and gel filtration by FPLC on Superdex 75. The amylase of H. erinaceum was adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose in 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4) and eluted with 0.2 M NaCl in the same buffer. The enzyme was subsequently adsorbed on SP-Sepharose in 10 mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH 4.5) and eluted with 0.3 M NaCl in the same buffer. This fraction was subsequently subjected to gel filtration on Superdex 75. The first peak eluted had a molecular mass of 55 kDa in SDS-PAGE. The amylase of H. erinaceum exhibited a pH optimum of 4.6 and a temperature optimum of 40°C. The enzyme activity was enhanced by Mn²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions, but inhibited by Hg²⁺ ions.     

A novel ribonuclease from fresh fruiting bodies of the portabella mushroom Agaricus bisporus.

A 14 kDa ribonuclease with a novel N-terminal sequence was isolated from fresh fruiting bodies of the portabella mushroom. It was adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and carboxymethyl-cellulose, and demonstrated the highest ribonucleolytic potency toward poly (A), 60% as much activity toward poly (C), 40% as much activity toward poly (U), and the least activity (7% as much) toward poly (G). It exhibited a pH optimum at pH 4.5 and a temperature optimum at 60 degrees C. Its activity at 100 degrees C was higher than that at 20 degrees C.     

Isolation of pleuturegin, a novel ribosome-inactivating protein from fresh sclerotia of the edible mushroom Pleurotus tuber-regium.

A ribosome-inactivating protein (RIP) designated pleuturegin, which inhibited translation in a cell-free rabbit reticulocyte lysate system with an IC50 of 0.5 nM, was purified from fresh sclerotia of the edible mushroom Pleurotus tuber-regium. Pleuturegin was distinguished from most plant and previously reported mushroom RIPs in that it was adsorbed on DEAE-cellulose and unadsorbed on SP-Sepharose, although all of them were adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel. Pleuturegin demonstrated an N-terminal sequence that was different from those of RIPs from Flammulina velutipes (flammulin and velutin), Hypsizygus marmoreus (hypsin), and Lyophyllum shimeji (lyophyllin), the only mushroom RIPs with known N-terminal sequences. The molecular mass of pleuturegin was 38 kDa, similar to that of flammulin (40 kDa) but considerably larger than those of velutin (13.8 kDa), hypsin (20 kDa), and lyophyllin (20 kDa). Pleuturegin was devoid of ribonuclease activity.     

Isolation of a ribonuclease from fruiting bodies of the wild mushroom Termitomyces globulus

A ribonuclease, with a molecular mass of 13 kDa and a ubiquitin-like N-terminal sequence, has been isolated from fruiting bodies of the mushroom Termitomyces globulus. The ribonuclease demonstrated ribonucleolytic activity toward poly A, poly C, poly G and poly U, with the activity toward poly A and poly C being much higher than that toward poly G and poly U. The ribonuclease was unadsorbed on DEAE-cellulose but adsorbed on Affi-gel blue gel and CM-Sepharose. The enzyme required a temperature of 70 degrees C for expression of maximal activity. However, the enzyme expressed nearly the same optimal activity over a wide pH range of 5.0-8.0.     

Ectomycorrhizal fungi with edible fruiting bodies 1.Tricholoma Matsutake and Related Fungi

Matsutake are the edible fruiting bodies of a few species ofTricholoma. The principal species areT. matsutake, T. magnivelare, andT. caligatum. Related species areT. bakamatsutake, T. quercicola, T. fulvocastaneum andT. robustum. These occur naturally throughout the Northern Hemisphere associated mainly with softwood trees but also with members of the Fagaceae. However, none have ever been cultivated or successfully introduced into new areas. They are held in very high regard in Japan where annual consumption is approximately 3000 tons. Annual production of matsutake in Japan is less than 1000 tons with the balance imported from China, North and South Korea, Canada, the USA, Morocco and Taiwan. Matsutake only fruit in late summer and autumn and are not found in the Southern Hemisphere. Therefore, there is the opportunity for it to be introduced into Southern Hemisphere countries and fruiting bodies produced for out-of-season Japanese markets. Wholesale prices in Japan range from ¥3350 to ¥70 000/kg (US$27-560) with the price reflecting quality, origin and availability. Retail prices at the start of the season can be up to ¥160 000/kg (US$1275). This paper reviews published and our own unpublished information on matsutake, and highlights areas of research that might result in a method for the cultivation of these fungi.     

Plant growth regulators from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma flavovirens

A novel indole derivative (1) and three known compounds (2–4) were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma flavovirens. Their structures were determined or identified by the interpretation of spectroscopic data. Compounds 1 and 2 promoted root growth of lettuce and inhibited hypocotyl growth at 1 μmol/paper. Compound 3 inhibited hypocotyl and root growth at 100 nmol/paper.     

Studies on purification of a lectin from fruiting bodies of the edible shiitake mushroom Lentinus edodes

A lectin, with a specificity for N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylglucosamine and a molecular weight of 43 kDa, was isolated from fruiting bodies of the edible shiitake mushroom Lentinus edodes. The purification procedure entailed extraction with aqueous buffer, ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and affinity chromatography on N-acetylgalactosamine-agarose. The lectin was unique in that it was tenaciously bound on anion exchangers including DEAE-cellulose, DEAE-Sepharose, DEAE-Sephadex, Q-Sepharose, Dowex and PEI-cellulose and also on hydroxyapatite and phenyl Sepharose. It was largely unadsorbed on cation exchangers including CM-cellulose, CM-Sepharose, SP-Sepharose and Amberlite, and also on protein G-Sepharose, Red Sepharose and Affi-gel Blue gel, wheat germ lectin-Sepharose and p-aminophenyl-d-glucopyranoside agarose.