Metarhizium
BiotechnologyGenetic Reprogramming of the Ergot Alkaloid Pathway of Metarhizium brunneumErgot alkaloids derived from LA or DHLA are the bases for numerous pharmaceuticals with applications in the treatment of dementia, migraines, hyperprolactinemia, and other conditions. However, extraction of ergot alkaloids from natural sources is inefficient, and their chemical synthesis is expensive. The ability to control and redirect ergot alkaloid synthesis in fungi may allow more efficient production of these important chemicals...
Environmental Microbiology | SpotlightSeveral Metarhizium Species Produce Ergot Alkaloids in a Condition-Specific MannerOur discovery of ergot alkaloids in fungi of the genus Metarhizium has agricultural and pharmaceutical implications. Ergot alkaloids produced by other fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae accumulate in forage grasses or grain crops; in this context they are considered toxins, though their presence also may deter or kill insect pests. Our data report ergot alkaloids in...
- Environmental MicrobiologyDicer and Argonaute Genes Involved in RNA Interference in the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium robertsii