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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2007, p. 3916-3923, Vol. 73, No. 12
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02770-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Coprinus comatus Damages Nematode Cuticles Mechanically with Spiny Balls and Produces Potent Toxins To Immobilize Nematodes{triangledown}

Hong Luo,1,{dagger} Yajun Liu,1,{dagger} Lin Fang,2 Xuan Li,3 Ninghua Tang,4 and Keqin Zhang1*

Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, People's Republic of China,1 Middle School Attached to Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650106, Yunnan, People's Republic of China,2 Faculty of Environmental Science and Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650093, Yunnan, People's Republic of China,3 State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650204, People's Republic of China4

Received 28 November 2006/ Accepted 11 April 2007

We reported recently a unique fungal structure, called the spiny ball, on the vegetative hyphae of Coprinus comatus (O. F. Müll.:Fr.) Pers. Although some observations regarding the role of this structure were presented, its function remained largely unknown. In this study, we showed that purified (isolated and washed) spiny balls could immobilize and kill the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus Goodey highly efficiently. Scanning electron microscopy studies illustrated that the spiny structure damaged the nematode cuticle, suggesting the presence of a mechanical force during the process of nematode immobilization. Severe injuries on nematode cuticles caused the leakage of inner materials of the nematodes. When these structures were ground in liquid nitrogen, their killing efficacy against nematodes was lost, indicating that the shape and the complete structure of the spiny balls are indispensable for their function. However, extraction with organic solvents never lowered their activity against P. redivivus, and the extracts showed no obvious effect on the nematode. We also investigated whether C. comatus was able to produce toxins which would aid in the immobilization of nematodes. In total, we identified seven toxins from C. comatus that showed activity to immobilize the nematodes P. redivivus and Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid et White) Chitwood. The chemical structures of these toxins were identified with nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, infrared, and UV spectrum analysis. Two compounds were found to be novel. The toxins found in C. comatus are O-containing heterocyclic compounds.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-resources, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, Yunnan, People's Republic of China. Phone: (86) 871 5034878. Fax: (86) 871 5034838. E-mail: kqzhang1{at}yahoo.com.cn

{triangledown} Published ahead of print on 20 April 2007.

{dagger} These authors contributed equally to this article.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, June 2007, p. 3916-3923, Vol. 73, No. 12
0099-2240/07/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.02770-06
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.





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