Tolypocladium inflatum
Encyclopedia
Tolypocladium inflatum is an asexual ascomycete fungus
originally isolated from a Norwegian
soil
sample that, in certain conditions, produces ciclosporin
.
The fungus from which ciclosporin was first isolated was originally misidentified as Trichoderma polysporum . Gams later showed the fungus belonged in a new genus of molds, Tolypocladium, and he coined the name Tolypocladium inflatum for the ciclosporin fungus . In 1983, Bissett found T. inflatum was the same as Pachybasium niveum, and since the latter older name has priority under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, Bissett made the combination Tolypocladium niveum . However, because of the economic importance of the fungus in the pharmaceutical industry, the name T. inflatum was later formally conserved to avoid confusion, so today the correct name of the mold that produces ciclosporin is Tolypocladium inflatum.
In 1996, Kathie Hodge and colleagues determined the mold T. inflatum is the asexual state of Cordyceps
subsessilis. (now Elaphocordyceps subsessilis (Petch) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora). Whereas the sexual Elaphocordyceps subsessilis state is a pathogen of beetles, the asexual T. inflatum state is widely distributed in soils.
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...
originally isolated from a Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
soil
Soil
Soil is a natural body consisting of layers of mineral constituents of variable thicknesses, which differ from the parent materials in their morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics...
sample that, in certain conditions, produces ciclosporin
Ciclosporin
Ciclosporin , cyclosporine , cyclosporin , or cyclosporin A is an immunosuppressant drug widely used in post-allogeneic organ transplant to reduce the activity of the immune system, and therefore the risk of organ rejection...
.
The fungus from which ciclosporin was first isolated was originally misidentified as Trichoderma polysporum . Gams later showed the fungus belonged in a new genus of molds, Tolypocladium, and he coined the name Tolypocladium inflatum for the ciclosporin fungus . In 1983, Bissett found T. inflatum was the same as Pachybasium niveum, and since the latter older name has priority under the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, Bissett made the combination Tolypocladium niveum . However, because of the economic importance of the fungus in the pharmaceutical industry, the name T. inflatum was later formally conserved to avoid confusion, so today the correct name of the mold that produces ciclosporin is Tolypocladium inflatum.
In 1996, Kathie Hodge and colleagues determined the mold T. inflatum is the asexual state of Cordyceps
Cordyceps
Cordyceps is a genus of ascomycete fungi that includes about 400 described species. All Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, mainly on insects and other arthropods ; a few are parasitic on other fungi. The best known species of the genus is Cordyceps sinensis, first recorded as yartsa gunbu in...
subsessilis. (now Elaphocordyceps subsessilis (Petch) G.H. Sung, J.M. Sung & Spatafora). Whereas the sexual Elaphocordyceps subsessilis state is a pathogen of beetles, the asexual T. inflatum state is widely distributed in soils.