Optimization for Production of Intracellular Polysaccharide from Cordyceps ophioglossoides L2 in Submerged Culture and Its Antioxidant Activities in vitro

Cordyceps ophioglossoides is a valuable traditional medicinal material.We have found that intracellular polysaccharide(IPS) is the major biologically active ingredient in Cordyceps ophioglossoides.This study is the first time to optimize the yield of IPS from Cordyceps ophioglossoides.The optimal medium for IPS production consists of glucose 54.50 g·L·1,yeast powder 25.50 g·L·1,NaH2PO4 0.4 g·L·1 and K2HPO4 0.4 g·L·1.The suggested culture conditions are 24 ℃,initial pH 4.5 with a rotary speed of 120 r·min·1 for 168 h.The yield of IPS is 737.93 mg·L·1,which is 50% higher than the yield under the conditions prior to optimization.The anti-oxidative activities of IPS in Cordyceps ophioglossoides L2 are also characterized using various in vitro assay.The anti-oxidative activity may explain the reason why IPS from Cordyceps ophioglossoides can be used to fight against neurodegenerative dis-eases and menopausal symptoms.

Antimicrobial Activity of Submerged Culture Extracts from Xylaria striata

[ Objective ] The paper was to explore the antimicmbial activities of extracts from Xylaria striata via submerged culture. [ Methods ] The antibacterial activities of X. striata extracts against 10 kinds of bacteria were determined using Oxford cup method and mJcroplate assay, and the antifungal activities against nine kinds of pathogenic fungi were determined using mycelial growth rate method. [ Results ] The inhibition zone diameters of the mycelium extract against tested bacte- ria ranged from 13.0 to 17.5 mm, and that of the fermentation broth extract ranged from 10.5 to 12.7 ram. Enterobacter cloacae was the most sensitive to both my- celium extract and fermentation broth extract, with the inhibition zone diameters of 17.1 and 12.7 mm and the minimum inhibitory concentrations of 2.5 and 5 mg/mL, respectively. The inhibitory effects of the mycelium extract and the fermentation broth extract against Fusarium graminearum were the greatest, and the in- hibition rates were 89.88% and 69.53%, respectively. [ Conclusion] X. striata has potential antimicrobial activity and deserves to be further studied.

Gene Expression and Fungal Morphology in Submerged Culture Using Whole Barley of Aspergillus kawachii

The authors described a novel submerged batch culture system that produced high levels of amylase by Aspergillus kawachii using whole barley （WB）, the surface of which is covered by its husk. In this study, detailed analyses determining the amylase activities, residual sugars, fungal morphology and expression levels of genes were performed in a submerged culture using WB to address the mechanism underlying high amylase productivity in A. kawachii. High levels of glucoamylase and acid-stable u-amylase were produced in this culture, and expression levels of amylases, as well as glucose-repressive genes including high-affinity glucose transporter and peroxidase/catalase were also high. On the other hand, the morphology of mycelia was altered, with swollen, bulbous, multi-septum hyphae and conidiophores that normally form in a solid culture being partially generated. Furthermore, cell cycle and post-translational modification-related gene expression levels were altered, and were similar to those in the solid culture. These findings suggest that high amylase productivity in the submerged culture using WB is accompanied by both the up-regulation of amylase genes and activation of post-translational modifications due to fungal morphological changes being brought closer to those in the solid culture.

Biodegrading Wheat Bran with Agaricus blazei and Its Effects on Intestinal Development Identified with Mice

Agaricus blazei Murill is a well known edible/medicinal mushroom used for immune-nutrient food therapies.The biodegradation of different substrates with this fungus may result in different metabolites and degraded compounds,which may enrich the function of the food therapies.In this study,soluble compounds from the culture of A.blazei grown in liquid media with whole wheat bran and its water filtrate,respectively,were compared.Total soluble sugar,arabinoxylan,protein,and amino acids were significantly higher in the fungal culture resulted from the medium with whole wheat bran （43.54,1.56,0.59,and 2.19 mg mL^-1,respectively） than that from the medium with the bran filtrate （17.28,0.37,0.13,and 1.13 mg mL^-1,respectively）.The biodegraded wheat bran with cultured mycelia was fed to Mus musculus Linnaeus as supplementation or as dietary fiber exclusive ingredient.As non-specific food therapies,feeding effects on mice intestinal development were indicated indirectly in growth performance,intestinal absorption and serum parameters.Compared to feeding uncultured wheat bran,feeding mice with culture mixes of A.blazei resulted in remarkably increase in villus height and villus height/crypt depth ratio,which were increased by 25.4 and 31.0%,respectively,when applied as supplementation,and by 44.3 and 43.4%,respectively,when applied as dietary fiber.These increases are concomitant with the higher level of D-xylose in blood serum about 16.9 and 29.2% as supplementation and dietary fiber,respectively.The results implying that culturing A.blazei with whole wheat bran enhanced extracellular metabolism of the fungus and extensive degradation of wheat bran insoluble fibrous compounds.Furthermore,feeding the culture mix including metabolites and degraded wheat bran improved intestinal villus development,proving the nutritional benefits of the A.blazei mycelial cultures.

First Estimations of Plant Acridone Alkaloid Implemented in Mushroom Mycelium Growth

Acridone derivatives are widespread in nature and known to be capable of having a variety of biological activities, but there is not any information on the acridone series compounds in relation to higher fungi, including edible mushrooms available in literature at all. Research into the character of the mode of action of these substances on various living systems is necessary to elucidate the possible unfavorable biological consequences and improve measures on their ecological safety. In this work, the effect of acridone-N-acetic acid on mushroom mycelial growth was tested and the culture of basidiomycete Lentinula edocles （shiitake） has been used. The influence of acridone additive upon the fungal mycelium growth on liquid （submerged） and agar media was examined within the wide concentration range of acridone carboxy-derivative. The results obtained testify to the relative ecological safety of these substances for mushroom organism, and to the mycelial growth promoting capability of acridone-N-acetic acid at favorable concentrations, both under the solid-phase and liquid-phase culture conditions. In fact, the very first step toward the investigation into the systems ＂macromycete-acridone series compound＂ has been made.