Fungi have played an important role as food, medicine, poison and for religious and other purposes in the life of man since prehistoric times. The role in medicine of higher (macro-)fungi in different countries from early historic times through the Middle Ages until now and also their prospective use in the future is described. Significant changes in the use of fungi for medical purposes are shown and some current and future trends are exemplified. Throughout the review, the role of Czechoslovak scientists in this field, starting from taxonomy and ending in the production of beneficial drugs from fungi is indicated.

• MeSH
• Anti-Infective Agents isolation & purification   MeSH
• Basidiomycota * chemistry   MeSH
• History, 16th Century MeSH
• History, 17th Century MeSH
• History, 19th Century MeSH
• History, Ancient MeSH
• History, Medieval MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Mushroom Poisoning history   MeSH
• Food history   MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents isolation & purification   MeSH
• Medicine, Traditional history   MeSH
• Check Tag
• History, 16th Century MeSH
• History, 17th Century MeSH
• History, 19th Century MeSH
• History, Ancient MeSH
• History, Medieval MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Historical Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Infective Agents MeSH
• Antineoplastic Agents MeSH

Basidiospores of Agrocybe cylindracea were found to be viable for 12 years, those of Oudemansiella mucida for 6 years. The ability of monosporic isolates from these spores to produce antibiotics has been partly preserved.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents biosynthesis   MeSH
• Basidiomycota growth & development   metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Spores, Fungal MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH

When studying the biosynthesis of mucidin under production (glucose as the main carbon source) and non-production (glucitol as the main carbon source) conditions it could be shown that the producer, Oudemansiella mucida, utilizes glucitol both for growth and for mucidin biosynthesis. However, the production of mucidin is 10 times lower than on glucose. When the culture was preincubated on glucose and transferred to non-production conditions the negative effect of glucitol could not be demonstrated. Biosynthesis of mucidin is influenced by the used carbon source already at an early stage of the cultivation.

• MeSH
• Agaricales drug effects   growth & development   metabolism   MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents biosynthesis   MeSH
• Glucose metabolism   MeSH
• Culture Media metabolism   MeSH
• Methacrylates MeSH
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated MeSH
• Sorbitol metabolism   pharmacology   MeSH
• Strobilurins MeSH
• Carbon metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Glucose MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Methacrylates MeSH
• mucidin MeSH Browser
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated MeSH
• Sorbitol MeSH
• Strobilurins MeSH
• Carbon MeSH

Aromatic acids were determined in the mycelium and fermentation medium of Oudemansiella mucida. Coumaric acids (both m- and p-), p-hydroxybenzoic acid (salicylic acid) and benzoic acid were found to predominate in the mycelium. Phenylacetic acid represents the main component in the medium. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase catalyzing conversion of phenylalanine to cinnamic acid which is further metabolized to benzoic acid was detected in the mycelium. The results are discussed with respect to the synthesis of the antibiotic mucidin.

• MeSH
• Alkenes biosynthesis   MeSH
• Basidiomycota metabolism   MeSH
• Benzoates metabolism   MeSH
• Cinnamates metabolism   MeSH
• Phenylacetates metabolism   MeSH
• Phenylalanine metabolism   MeSH
• Hydroxybenzoates metabolism   MeSH
• Methacrylates MeSH
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated MeSH
• Strobilurins MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Alkenes MeSH
• Benzoates MeSH
• Cinnamates MeSH
• Phenylacetates MeSH
• Phenylalanine MeSH
• Hydroxybenzoates MeSH
• Methacrylates MeSH
• mucidin MeSH Browser
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated MeSH
• Strobilurins MeSH

Mutants of Oudemansiella mucida, blocked in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic mucidin, were obtained at a 0.28% frequency after the application of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNG) to basidiospores under conditions leading to 0.5--5.0% survival rates. Loss of antibiotic activity was in most isolates accompanied by a decrease in mycelium growth rate and a suppression of dikaryotizing and fructification ability. Recombination analysis of two stable mutants revealed that the block in mucidin synthesis is the result of mutation in the same chromosomal gene (muc). In contrast to the action of MNG, UV-irradiation leads neither to the loss of biosynthetic activity nor to any morphological change.

• MeSH
• Agaricales genetics   metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents biosynthesis   MeSH
• Genes * MeSH
• Crosses, Genetic MeSH
• Methacrylates MeSH
• Methylnitronitrosoguanidine MeSH
• Mutation MeSH
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated MeSH
• Strobilurins MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Methacrylates MeSH
• Methylnitronitrosoguanidine MeSH
• mucidin MeSH Browser
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated MeSH
• Strobilurins MeSH

The pyrenomycete Melanconis flavovirens under submerged cultivation produced antibiotics active against both bacteria and fungi. Glucose and corn-steep liquor were the best C and N sources for the antibiotic production, respectively. Supplementation with Tween-80 and enthylene glycol stimulated both antifungal and antibacterial antibiotic production, whereas oleic acid only the antifungal one. Addition of K2HPO4 also showed a positive effect. The optimal conditions for fermentation of the antifungal component are given.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents biosynthesis   pharmacology   MeSH
• Ascomycota metabolism   MeSH
• Bacillus subtilis drug effects   MeSH
• Candida drug effects   MeSH
• Nitrogen metabolism   MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Carbon metabolism   MeSH
• Xylariales metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Nitrogen MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Carbon MeSH

Submerged cultures of the basidiomycete Oudemansiella mucida, strain III, accumulate D-arabino-2-hexosulose. The maximum yields during cultivations in shaker flasks or in a laboratory fermentor are 6--12 and 15 mg/ml, respectively (20--50% conversion of substrate glucose). The accumulation is transient, the aldoketose being again utilized after glucose exhaustion. Its production is stimulated by fluoride ions. The enzyme responsible for the C(2)-specific oxidation of D-glucose acts as an intracellular oxidase with a maximum activity in the exponential phase of growth. D-arabino-2-Hexosulose was also detected in the cultivation medium of the wood-rotting fungi Pleurotus ostreatus, Laetiporus sulphureus, and Phellinus abietis.

• MeSH
• Basidiomycota metabolism   MeSH
• Fermentation MeSH
• Sodium Fluoride pharmacology   MeSH
• Glucose Oxidase metabolism   MeSH
• Hexoses metabolism   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Sodium Fluoride MeSH
• Glucose Oxidase MeSH
• Hexoses MeSH

The production of mucidin by the basidiomycete Oudemansiella mucida was negatively influenced by the application of D-glucitol as the main carbon source, the effect being independent of the growth rate of the mycelium. The rate of fatty acid synthesis was measured by incorporation of 1-14C-acetate. After 8 days of cultivation, the amount of fatty acids was approximately half that synthetized during cultivation on glucose. The specific rate of incorporation reached its maximum after seven days of cultivation. Incorporation of 2-14C-MEValonate into sterols was the same under the two sets of cultivation conditions. Acetate units from the degraded fatty acids are probably also utilized for antibiotic synthesis.

• MeSH
• Acetates metabolism   MeSH
• Agaricales metabolism   MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents biosynthesis   MeSH
• Glucose metabolism   MeSH
• Fatty Acids biosynthesis   MeSH
• Sorbitol metabolism   MeSH
• Sterols biosynthesis   MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Comparative Study MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Acetates MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH
• Glucose MeSH
• Fatty Acids MeSH
• Sorbitol MeSH
• Sterols MeSH

Twenty-three pyrenomycete species were tested for antibiotic activity in submerged cultures. When they were screened against bacteria and fungi, 15 showed positive results. Among these, Eutypa acharii, Diaporthe pustulata, Melanconis flavovirens and Camarops microspora were quite promising against bacteria and/or fungi. An antibacterial antibiotic from Camarops microspora was partially purified and characterized.

• MeSH
• Anti-Bacterial Agents isolation & purification   pharmacology   MeSH
• Ascomycota analysis   MeSH
• Bacillus subtilis drug effects   MeSH
• Bacteriological Techniques MeSH
• Candida drug effects   MeSH
• Microbial Sensitivity Tests MeSH
• Immersion * MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Anti-Bacterial Agents MeSH

The developmental cycle of the fungus Oudemansiella mucida, the producer of a new antifungal antibiotic, was found to be controlled by the mechanism of homogenic tetrapolar incompatibility; under our conditions, the cycle took about 12 weeks to completion. Optimum conditions for a laboratory-scale fructification were investigated. Normal fruiting body formation required sufficient illumination, temperatures below 20 degrees C, and relative humidity in excess of 70%. Flask-grown fruiting bodies did not differ from the naturally occurring ones. The basidiospores of the produced fruiting bodies yielded the reference monokaryons necessary for physiological, cytological and genetical studies.

• MeSH
• Antifungal Agents biosynthesis   isolation & purification   MeSH
• Bacteriological Techniques * MeSH
• Basidiomycota analysis   metabolism   physiology   MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH
• Immersion MeSH
• Temperature MeSH
• Humidity MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Names of Substances
• Antifungal Agents MeSH
• Culture Media MeSH