Biotechnology of ergot alkaloids

The ergot alkaloids are a group of pharmacologically active compounds produced primarily by species of Claviceps, a fungal parasite of grasses and cereals.

Ergot is of historical interest: medieval midwives collected the fungus from naturally infected plants and used it in the induction of childbirth and in the control of postpartum bleeding. Many additional uses of the ergot alkaloids have been discovered since then, and yet the method of production has persisted to this day basically unchanged.

However, submerged culture of Claviceps is starting to supersede the use of systematically infected rye and a number of new opportunities, including the development of high yielding fungal strains and the production of semi-synthetic alkaloids, have become apparent.