Rhizopus oryzae is a fungus

Fungus

A fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...

 that lives worldwide in dead organic matter. An opportunistic human pathogen

Opportunistic infection

An opportunistic infection is an infection caused by pathogens, particularly opportunistic pathogens—those that take advantage of certain situations—such as bacterial, viral, fungal or protozoan infections that usually do not cause disease in a healthy host, one with a healthy immune system...

, it is one causative agent of zygomycosis (more properly mucormycosis). The RA 99-880 strain, which was isolated from a fatal infection, had its genome sequenced by the Broad Institute

Broad Institute

The Broad Institute is a genomic medicine research center located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Although it is independently governed and supported as a 501 nonprofit research organization, the institute is formally affiliated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard...

 in 2004–2005. R. oryzae is used in the food industry and its products are generally recognised as safe.

Synonyms

Mucor arrhizus (A. Fisch.) Hagem, (1908)

Mucor cambodja Chrząszcz, (1901)

Mucor delemar Boidin

Mucor nodosus (Namysl.) Hagem, (1910)

Mucor norvegicus Hagem, (1908)

Rhizopus acetoinus Kitahara & Fukui, (1950)

Rhizopus achlamydosporus Y. Takeda, (1935)

Rhizopus albus M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus angulisporus (Saito) Naumov, (1935)

Rhizopus arrhizus A. Fisch., (1892)

Rhizopus arrhizus var. delemar (Wehmer & Hanzawa) J.J. Ellis, (1985)

Rhizopus arrhizus var. delemar (Wehmer & Hanzawa) J.J. Ellis, (1984)

Rhizopus bahrnensis Y. Takeda, (1935)

Rhizopus batatas Nakaz., (1909)

Rhizopus betivorus Nevod. [as 'betavora'],(1928)

Rhizopus boreas Yosh. Yamam., (1925)

Rhizopus cambodja (Chrząszcz) Vuill., (1902)

Rhizopus chinensis var. rugulosus Hanzawa, (1913)

Rhizopus chiuniang M. Yamaz., (1919)

Rhizopus chungkuoensis M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus chungkuoensis var. isofermentans Y. Takeda, (1906)

Rhizopus delemar (Boidin) Wehmer & Hanzawa, (1912)

Rhizopus delemar var. minimus Y. Takeda, (1935)

Rhizopus delemar var. multiplicisporus Inui, Y. Takeda & Lizuka, (1965)

Rhizopus formosaensis Hanzawa, (1913)

Rhizopus fusiformis C.O. Dawson & Povah, (1929)

Rhizopus hangchow M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus humilis M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus japonicus Vuill., (1902)

Rhizopus japonicus var. angulisporus Saito, (1907)

Rhizopus japonicus var. japonicus Vuill., (1902)

Rhizopus javanicus Y. Takeda, (1935)

Rhizopus javanicus var. javanicus Y. Takeda, (1935)

Rhizopus javanicus var. kawasakiensis Y. Takeda & Takam.{?}, (1949)

Rhizopus kasanensis Hanzawa, (1912)

Rhizopus konsho Yosh. Yamam., (1925)

Rhizopus liquifaciens M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus maydis Bruderl., (1917)

Rhizopus microsporus var. pseudochinensis (M. Yamaz.) R. Prakash & A.K. Sarbhoy, (1993)

Rhizopus mochi Yosh. Yamam., (1925)

Rhizopus nigricans var. verticillatum Demelius, (1916)

Rhizopus nodosus Namysl., (1906)

Rhizopus norvegicus Hagem, (1908)

Rhizopus oryzae var. araneosus Y. Takeda, (1906)

Rhizopus oryzae var. oryzae Went & Prins. Geerl., (1895)

Rhizopus peka Y. Takeda, (1924)

Rhizopus pseudochinensis M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus pseudochinensis var. pseudochinensis M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus salebrosus M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus salebrosus var. instriatis Y. Takeda, (1928)

Rhizopus salebrosus var. salebrosus M. Yamaz., (1918)

Rhizopus schizans McAlpine, (1902)

Rhizopus semarangensis Y. Takeda, (1935)

Rhizopus shanghaiensis M. Yamaz., (1919)

Rhizopus sontii Reddi & Subrahm.{?}, (1937)

Rhizopus suinus N. Nielsen, (1929)

Rhizopus suinus f. sterilis N. Nielsen, (1929)

Rhizopus suinus f. suinus N. Nielsen, (1929)

Rhizopus tanekoji Hanzawa, (1912)

Rhizopus thermosus Yosh. Yamam., (1925)

Rhizopus tonkinensis Vuill., (1902)

Rhizopus trubini Hanzawa, (1912)

Rhizopus usamii Hanzawa, (1912)

External links

• Index Fungorum
• USDA ARS Fungal Database
• Broad Institute page on Rhizopus oryzae genome