Specificity and inhibition studies of Armillaria mellea protease.

The action of Armillaria mellea protease has been evaluated on a number of polypeptide substrates. It has been shown to split the Pro7-Lys8 bonds in both native and oxidised lysine-vasopressin and the Ser11-Lys12 bond in glucagon. No other splits were detected in these substrates. The enzyme also caused extensive degradation of S-carboxymethyl lysozyme, S-carcoxymethyl pepsinogen and oxidised ribonuclease. A. In each case the only new amino-terminal residue to appear was lysine. A. mellea protease was inhibited by the chelating agents 1,10-phenanthroline, alpha, alpha'-bipyridine and imidazole. The pK1 values (negative log10 of concentration required for 50% inhibition) for these three inhibitors were 3.9, 3.4 and 1.1, respectively. Lysine, S-2-aminoethylcysteine and short chain aliphatic amines also proved to be relatively good inhibitors of A. mellea protease while arginine was a poor inhibitor.     

Cleavage by trypsin and by the proteinase from Armillaria mellea at epsilon-N-formyl-lysine residues.

Kinetic studies were made of the hydrolysis by trypsin of alpha-N-acetylglycyl-L-lysine methyl ester and of its neutral analogue alpha-N-acetylglycyl-epsilon-N-formyl-L-lysine methyl ester. The latter substance is a moderately good substrate for trypsin, and this observation is discussed in terms of the substrate specifically of the enzyme. The actions of trypsin and of the lysine-specific proteinase from Armillaria mellea on both a native and a formylated polypeptide substrate were compared. Both enzymes were found to hydrolyse specifically bonds to epsilon-N-formyl-lysine in the formylated substrate.     

Degradation of Raspberry Suberin by Fusarium solani f. sp. Pisi and Armillaria mellea

When submers cultures of Fusarium solani f. sp. pisi and Armillaria mellea were grown in a medium supplemented with 0.5 % suberin isolated from raspberry periderm, hydrolytic enzymes were produced and measured by a spectrophotometric assay using p-nitrophenyl butyrate as substrate. The enzymatic activity in the culture fluids reached its peak after 32 to 44 days of incubation. In a gas-chromatographic assay of the enzymatic degradation of suberin, concentrated culture fluids of suberin-grown fungi were incubated with raspberry suberin. The culture fluids of F. solani and A. mellea catalyzed the release of chloroform-soluble products, which were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography. Suberin monomers like fatty alcohols and acids with chain-lengths from C₁₆ to C₂₆ as well as C₁₆ and C₁₈ω-hy-droxyacids could be identified as products. The suberin-induced enzymes showed catalytic properties similar to cutin-hydrolyzing enzymes previously isolated from different fungi.     

Infection Foci of Armillaria mellea in First-rotation Hardwoods

Infection foci of Armillaria mellea, often 10–20 m indiameter, were discovered in first-rotation plantings of oakand beech on former arable or heathland sites—they werecommonly associated with thinning stumps containing the fungus.Since the foci were scattered and contained different mycelialtypes of A. mellea it seemed probable that they had arisen asa result of stump infection by basidiospores. There was evidencethat many years had elapsed between stump infection and theproduction of rhizomorphs, and that subsequent growth of thesedepended upon the presence of suitable living roots. Largeroaks seemed little affected whereas many small and medium-sizedtrees had been killed. Armillaria mellea, infection foci in plantations, tree stumps, basidiospores     

蜜环菌菌种分离新法——天麻组织分离法

报道了一蜜环菌菌种分离方法——天麻组织分离法,并对此法与常用分离法——菌索分离法进行比较试验。结果发现,天麻组织分离法分离成功率高（78％）,远高于常用的菌索分离法（16％）,且前者操作简便、难度低,所得菌种生活活力、生长形态均优于后法。     

Genotypic diversity of Armillaria gallica from mixed oak forests in Massachusetts

The population structure of Armillaria gallica, an important pathogen of Quercus spp., was investigated from mixed oak forests in central Massachusetts, encompassing a sampling area over 500 km(2). From 16 plots at four sites a total of 153 isolates (34-40 isolates per site) was analyzed with amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). Analyses of 204 polymorphic loci detected 38 AFLP genotypes from a sample area of 4.51 hectares (ha). Genets ranged in distribution from five to 33 genets per hectare (GPH), with a mean of eight GPH and the average A. gallica genet occupying 0.13 ha. Allele frequencies produced an unbiased expected heterozygosity (H(E)) value of 0.112 (SE = 0.006) and a Nei's expected heterozygosity (H(J)) value of 0.190 (SE = 0.009), indicating low genetic diversity within the population. Analysis of molecular variation (Φ(PT) = 0.301; P < 0.001) indicates high genetic differentiation, with 70% of the molecular variation explained at the site-level within A. gallica subpopulations. However, results of the Mantel test, used to assess the isolation-by-distance hypothesis, were inconclusive in determining whether the subpopulations were truly isolated by distance. A neighbor-joining tree constructed from a genetic distance matrix grouped genotypes from the same site (subpopulation) together, but from three of four sites genotypes were randomly clustered at the plot level. The results suggest that basidiospore dispersal is an important means of new genet formation at linear distances up to 2000 m.     

Genetic variation in Armillaria mellea subsp. nipponica estimated using IGS-RFLP and AFLP analyses

In this study, genetic variation of Armillaria mellea subsp. nipponica was estimated using intergenic spacer-restriction fragment length polymorphism (IGS-RFLP) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses. Four IGS-RFLP phenotypes were produced, of which two have never been reported. AFLP analysis suggested that the 11 isolates used could be divided into five subgroups, and the isolates within the same subgroup were distributed throughout a relatively large area in Japan. A parental isolate and its offspring (single-spore isolates) showed an almost identical AFLP profile to each other. These results suggest that the large distribution of the isolates within the same subgroup were established via the basidiospore from a common parental strain. Contribution no. 378 of The Tottori Mycological Institute     

Genetic evidence for somatic haploidization in developing fruit bodies of Armillaria tabescens

Armillaria spp. have vegetative hyphae with diploid uninucleate cells, but the fruit bodies of many species contain clamped dikaryotic hyphae. Earlier observations suggest that somatic haploidization takes place in developing fruit bodies. To verify this, a uninucleate diploid cell was isolated from each of the 49 mating combinations between single-spore isolates of Armillaria tabescens and they were fruited. Twenty-four isolates produced fruit bodies with at least a partially dikaryotic subhymenium. Dikaryotic hyphae were isolated from fruit-body primordia and homokaryons were obtained by micromanipulation or by protoplasting. Approximately half of the isolates proved to represent recombinant mating types in respect to parent homokaryons, and most of them contained recombinant haploid DNA, based on random-amplified microsatellite markers. The results show that the nuclei in dikaryotic hyphae found in fruit bodies result from somatic haploidization. The mechanism of haploidization remains unclear.     

Purification and characterization of fibrinolytic enzyme from cultured mycelia of Armillaria mellea

A fibrinolytic enzyme was purified from the cultured mycelia of Armillaria mellea by ion-exchange chromatography followed by gel filtration, and was designated A. mellea metalloprotease (AMMP). The purification protocol resulted in a 627-fold purification of the enzyme, with a final yield of 6.05%. The apparent molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 21kDa by SDS-PAGE, fibrin-zymography and gel filtration chromatography, which revealed a monomeric form of the enzyme. The optimal reaction pH value and temperature were, pH 6.0, and 33 degrees C, respectively. This protease effectively hydrolyzed fibrinogen, preferentially digesting the Aalpha-chain over the Bbeta- and r-chains. Enzyme activity was inhibited by Cu(2+) and Co(2+), but enhanced by the addition of Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) ions. Furthermore, AMMP activity was potently inhibited by EDTA, and was found to exhibit a higher specificity for the substrate S-2586 for chymotrypsin, indicating that the enzyme is a chymotrypsin-like metalloprotease. The first 24 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence were MFSLSSRFFLYTLCL SAVAVSAAP, which is extremely similar to the 24 amino acid residues of the N-terminal sequence of the fruiting body of A. mellea. These data suggest that the fibrinolytic enzyme AMMP, obtained from the A. mellea exhibits a profound fibrinolytic activity. The mycelia of A. mellea may thus represent a potential source of new therapeutic agents to treat thrombosis.     

Inferring dispersal patterns of the generalist root fungus Armillaria mellea

Investigating the dispersal of the root-pathogenic fungus Armillaria mellea is necessary to understand its population biology. Such an investigation is complicated by both its subterranean habit and the persistence of genotypes over successive host generations. As such, host colonization by resident mycelia is thought to outcompete spore infections. We evaluated the contributions of mycelium and spores to host colonization by examining a site in which hosts pre-date A. mellea. Golden Gate Park (San Francisco, CA, USA) was established in 1872 primarily on sand dunes that supported no resident mycelia. Genotypes were identified by microsatellite markers and somatic incompatibility pairings. Spatial autocorrelation analyses of kinship coefficients were used to infer spore dispersal distance. The largest genotypes measured 322 and 343 m in length, and 61 of the 90 total genotypes were recovered from only one tree. The absence of multilocus linkage disequilibrium and the high proportion of unique genotypes suggest that spore dispersal is an important part of the ecology and establishment of A. mellea in this ornamental landscape. Spatial autocorrelations indicated a significant spatial population structure consistent with limited spore dispersal. This isolation-by-distance pattern suggests that most spores disperse over a few meters, which is consistent with recent, direct estimates based on spore trapping data.     

Optimization of exopolysaccharide production from Armillaria mellea in submerged cultures

Aims: To study the optimization of submerged culture conditions for exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by Armillaria mellea in shake‐flask cultures and also to evaluate the performance of an optimized culture medium in a 5‐l stirred tank fermenter. Methods and Results: Shake flask cultures for EPS optimal nutritional production contained having the following composition (in g l^?1): glucose 40, yeast extract 3, KH₂PO₄ 4 and MgSO₄ 2 at an optimal temperature of 22°C and an initial of pH 4·0. The optimal culture medium was then cultivated in a 5‐l stirred tank fermenter at 1 vvm (volume of aeration per volume of bioreactor per min) aeration rate, 150 rev min^?1 agitation speed, controlled pH 4·0 and 22°C. In the optimal culture medium, the maximum EPS production in a 5‐l stirred tank fermenter was 588 mg l^?1, c. twice as great as that in the basal medium. The maximum productivity for EPS (Q_p) and product yield (Y_P/S) were 42·02 mg l^?1 d^?1 and 26·89 mg g^?1, respectively. Conclusions: The optimal culture conditions we proposed in this study enhanced the EPS production of A. mellea from submerged cultures. Significance and Impact of the Study: The optimal culturing conditions we have found will be a suitable starting point for a scale‐up of the fermentation process, helping to develop the production of related medicines and health foods from A. mellea.     

Evaluation of partial tef1, rpb2, and nLSU sequences for identification of isolates representing Armillaria calvescens and Armillaria gallica from northeastern North America

Armillaria calvescens and Armillaria gallica are two of the most closely-related species of Armillaria in North America and have been difficult to distinguish from one another using morphological and molecular techniques. In an attempt to better distinguish these two species, partial sequences of the elongation factor-1 alpha (tef1), RNA polymerase II (rpb2), and nuclear large subunit (nLSU) genes were generated for 32 total isolates; 12 isolates each for A. calvescens and A. gallica, along with two isolates each of Armillaria gemina, Armillaria mellea, Armillaria sinapina, and Armillaria solidipes. Within the tef1 amplicon, five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were present between A. calvescens and A. gallica. Phylogenetic reconstruction using the maximum likelihood (ML) and maximum parsimony (MP) methods showed that tef1 was the only gene capable of distinguishing A. calvescens from A. gallica, and additionally, all isolates representing the six northeastern North American species. Partial tef1 sequences grouped A. calvescens into a strongly-supported, monophyletic clade with bootstrap support (BS) values of 98/98% (ML/MP), while A. gallica was grouped into a monophyletic clade with lower BS support (76/59%). The results illustrate the utility of partial tef1 sequences for the identification of field isolates of Armillaria from northeastern North America.     

A polysaccharide from Armillaria mellea exhibits strong in vitro anticancer activity via apoptosis-involved mechanisms

Armillaria mellea is a famous traditional Chinese medicinal and edible fungus. In this study, we purified a water-soluble polysaccharide (AMP) from the fruiting bodies of this fungus. AMP contained 94.8% carbohydrate, 2.3% uronic acid and 0.5% protein. Its molecular weight was determined as 4.6×10(5)Da, as determined by high-performance gel-permeation chromatography (HPGPC). Gas chromatography (GC) analysis indicated that AMP was mainly composed of d-glucose. In vitro assay, AMP exhibited a potent tumor growth inhibitory effect on A549 cells, and induced cell cycle disruption in the G0/G1 phase, accompanied by an increment of apoptotic cells. Furthermore, AMP induced the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, thus leading to cytochrome c release from mitochondria and activation of caspase-3 and -9. Taken together, our results demonstrate that AMP possesses strong antitumor activities through the mitochondria dependent pathway and activation of caspase cascade through cytochrome c release.     

蜜环菌多糖对低能离子束诱变作用的恢复效应

水提法从密环菌Am99-1菌株人工发酵体分离得到密环菌多糖Aml,以低能N^ 离子束为诱变源,黑腹果蝇为受试动物,检测Aml对离子束诱变果蝇的恢复功能。实验结果经统计学分析表明,1.0%和1.5%浓度的密环菌多糖Aml可以提高受试果蝇蛹的孵出率和降低当代及F2代果蝇突变率。这说明密环菌多糖对于低能离子束诱变有一定程度的防护作用。染色体水平上的检测也证实了此结论。     

中国与欧洲高卢蜜环菌的遗传多样性

高卢蜜环菌(Armillaria gallica)为北半球广布种,不同大陆间的菌株遗传相似性和多样性水平能反映出该种在洲际大陆尺度上的地理遗传变异关系。作者用ISSR(inter-simple sequence repeat)分子标记技术,对从中国和欧洲收集到的高卢蜜环菌79个菌株进行了遗传多样性分析。用6个ISSR引物扩增得到210个位点,其中多态性位点(频率<0.95)为202个,占96.2%,平均每个引物多态位点多达33.6个,表明ISSR标记在蜜环菌中存在较高的多态性。根据非加权类平均法(UPGMA)聚类分析,中国53个菌株中的49个在0.773的相似性水平上聚成了中国类群(China group);而欧洲26个菌株遗传分化较大,分别在0.775和0.763的相似性水平上聚成了欧洲类群A(Europe group A)和B(Europe group B);2个欧洲类群间的相似性水平仅为0.738,而欧洲类群A与中国类群间的相似性却达到了0.770;两个大陆均有少数菌株表现出较为明显的遗传分化,个别菌株的种内遗传相似性甚至低于蜜环菌种间的遗传相似性。结果表明,中欧两个大陆间的A.gallica菌株因地理隔离已经表现出明显的遗传分化,处于异域物种形成过程中;欧洲大陆的菌株遗传分化更为明显,可能是两个大陆A.gallica菌株的起源地。     

A Fivefold Parallelized Biosynthetic Process Secures Chlorination of Armillaria mellea (Honey Mushroom) Toxins

The basidiomycetous tree pathogen Armillaria mellea (honey mushroom) produces a large variety of structurally related antibiotically active and phytotoxic natural products, referred to as the melleolides. During their biosynthesis, some members of the melleolide family of compounds undergo monochlorination of the aromatic moiety, whose biochemical and genetic basis was not known previously. This first study on basidiomycete halogenases presents the biochemical in vitro characterization of five flavin-dependent A. mellea enzymes (ArmH1 to ArmH5) that were heterologously produced in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that all five enzymes transfer a single chlorine atom to the melleolide backbone. A 5-fold, secured biosynthetic step during natural product assembly is unprecedented. Typically, flavin-dependent halogenases are categorized into enzymes acting on free compounds as opposed to those requiring a carrier-protein-bound acceptor substrate. The enzymes characterized in this study clearly turned over free substrates. Phylogenetic clades of halogenases suggest that all fungal enzymes share an ancestor and reflect a clear divergence between ascomycetes and basidiomycetes.     

Response of mycorrhizal grapevine to Armillaria mellea inoculation: disease development and polyamines

A study was conducted with the vine rootstock Richter 110 (Vitis berlandieri Planch. x Vitis rupestris L.) in order to assess whether the colonisation by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) Glomus intraradices (BEG 72) can delay the disease development in plants inoculated with the root-rot fungus Armillaria mellea (Vahl:Fr) Kummer, and to elucidate if the levels of polyamines (PAs) are modified in response to G. intraradices, A. mellea or by the dual infection. Four treatments were considered: control and G. intraradices-inoculated plants infected or not with A. mellea. Plant growth, mycorrhizal colonisation and disease development were monitored throughout the experiment. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in combination with fluorescence spectrophotometry was used to separate and quantify free root and leaf polyamines. The slower development of pathogenic symptoms and the higher plant biomass of mycorrhizal plants inoculated with A. mellea indicate an increase of tolerance due to the AMF inoculation. The variations in free PA levels detected at the beginning of the pathogenic infection suggest that PAs may have a potential role in the signalling mechanisms of the tolerance of mycorrhizal plants against A. mellea.