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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2005, p. 3106-3111, Vol. 71, No. 6
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.6.3106-3111.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Abundant Respirable Ergot Alkaloids from the Common Airborne Fungus Aspergillus fumigatus{dagger}

Daniel G. Panaccione* and Christine M. Coyle

Division of Plant & Soil Sciences, Genetics & Developmental Biology Program, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506-6058

Received 17 September 2004/ Accepted 20 December 2004

Ergot alkaloids are mycotoxins that interact with several monoamine receptors, negatively affecting cardiovascular, nervous, reproductive, and immune systems of exposed humans and animals. Aspergillus fumigatus, a common airborne fungus and opportunistic human pathogen, can produce ergot alkaloids in broth culture. The objectives of this study were to determine if A. fumigatus accumulates ergot alkaloids in a respirable form in or on its conidia, to quantify ergot alkaloids associated with conidia produced on several different substrates, and to measure relevant physical properties of the conidia. We found at least four ergot alkaloids, fumigaclavine C, festuclavine, fumigaclavine A, and fumigaclavine B (in order of abundance), associated with conidia of A. fumigatus. Under environmentally relevant conditions, the total mass of ergot alkaloids often constituted >1% of the mass of the conidium. Ergot alkaloids were extracted from conidia produced on all media tested, and the greatest quantities were observed when the fungus was cultured on latex paint or cultured maize seedlings. The values for physical properties of conidia likely to affect their respirability (i.e., diameter, mass, and specific gravity) were significantly lower for A. fumigatus than for Aspergillus nidulans, Aspergillus niger, and Stachybotrys chartarum. The demonstration of relatively high concentrations of ergot alkaloids associated with conidia of A. fumigatus presents opportunities for investigations of potential contributions of the toxins to adverse health effects associated with the fungus and to aspects of the biology of the fungus that contribute to its success.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Division of Plant & Soil Sciences, 401 Brooks Hall, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-6058. Phone: (304) 293-3911, ext. 2235. Fax: (304) 293-2872. E-mail: danpan{at}mail.wvu.edu.

{dagger} This paper is published with the approval of the Director of the West Virginia Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station as Scientific Article no. 2895.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2005, p. 3106-3111, Vol. 71, No. 6
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.6.3106-3111.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Dagenais, T. R. T., Keller, N. P. (2009). Pathogenesis of Aspergillus fumigatus in Invasive Aspergillosis. Clin. Microbiol. Rev. 22: 447-465 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Coyle, C. M., Kenaley, S. C., Rittenour, W. R., Panaccione, D. G. (2007). Association of ergot alkaloids with conidiation in Aspergillus fumigatus.. Mycologia 99: 804-811 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
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