Abstracts of Lead lectures-LL-1 to LL-6

36th Ann. Meeting of MSI & Nat. Seminar on Fungal Biodiversity & Bioprospecting….. Goa, India Oct., 29-30, 2009

LEAD LECTURES

LL - 1

Wild Edible Fungi (WEF) and Ethnomycology in some regions of North-West Himalaya of Jammu and Kashmir, India

Yash Pal Sharma* and Sanjeev Kumar
Department of Botany, University of Jammu, Jammu, India 180 006.
*E-mail: yashdbm3@yahoo.co.in

Mushrooms have a long history of their use as neutriceuticals and pharmaceuticals because of their composition. They constitute the most relished food commodities amongst the number of non-conventional foodstuffs primarily because of their unique flavour and texture. More than 7000 species are considered to possess varying degree of edibility worldwide and more than 3000 species from 31genera are regarded as prime edible mushrooms. In India, more than 300 species belonging to 71 genera have been reported from different regions with varying edibility. The Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir, which lies in the north-west Himalaya, is a rich repository of the unexplored macrofungal wealth due to its varied climatic and topographic condition, thus providing congenial environment for the lavish growth of this heterogenous group of fungi. An exploration was undertaken in 2005-2007 to collect and document the wild mushroom diversity occurring in the north-west Himalyan forests of Jammu and Kashmir State. Some of the important potentially edible fungi recorded include Agaricus sp., Boletus spp, Ramaria spp., Sparassis spp., Clavulina sp., Morchella spp., Cantharellus spp., Gyromitra sp., Peziza spp., Pleurotus spp., Termitomyces spp., Lycoperdon sp., Rhizopogon sp., Geopora sp., and Flammulina sp. Our observations indicate that the region represents a mycophilic society and gathering of wild mushrooms is a traditional activity among the inhabitants of the area. In addition, the paper examines the ethnomycological aspects related to the culinary significance and folk taxonomy of the commonly collected mushroom species.
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LL - 2
Ecology of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi

D. J. Bagyaraj
Center for Natural Biological Resources and Community Development (CNBRCD),
41, RBI Colony, Anand Nagar, Bangalore 560 024.

It is a well established fact that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi improve plant growth. The main effect of AM fungi in improving plant growth is through improved uptake of nutrients, especially phosphorus, which is due to exploration by the external hyphae of the soil beyond the root hair and phosphorus depletion zone. Fungal hyphae are also known to absorb phosphorus from lower concentrations compared to non-mycorrhizal roots. They also improve the uptake of minor elements like zinc, copper, etc., and water. They also produce plant hormones, increase the activity of beneficial soil organisms in the root zone and reduce the severity of disease caused by root pathogenic fungi, bacteria or nematodes. Thus the benefits the plant derives from mycorrhizal inoculation seem to be very many.
The ecology of these fungi, in tropics, is not fully understood. These fungi are geographically ubiquitous. An explanation for their remarkably wide spread distribution is that these fungi were disseminated inter-continentally prior to continental drift. Further, these fungi can grow actively, to a limited extent, spending their own energy. Passive dissemination can occur through biotic agents like earthworms, ants, wasps, etc., and abiotic agents like wind, water, etc. The various agricultural practices are known to influence the occurrence of these fungi qualitatively and quantitatively. The approaches in understanding the occurrence, dissemination, survival and persistence of theses fungi in tropics will be discussed.
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LL - 3
Mushrooms in Human Health

B. M. Sharma
Department of Plant Pathology, H.P.Agriculture University, Palampua 176 062.

Mushrooms have a long history of use in the traditional therapies. Hot water soluble fractions of medicinal mushrooms have been used as medicine in the Far East (Hobbs, 2000). A number of bio-active molecules, including antitumor substances have been identified in many mushroom species. Polysaccharides are the best known and most potent mushroom derived substances with antitumor and immuno-modulating properties (Mizuno, 1996 & 1999; Wasser & Weis, 1999 and Reshetnikov, et. al., 2001). Ikebana et al.,(1969) published one of the first reports on antitumor activities of fruiting bodies belonging to the family Polyporace. Soon thereafter the first three major drugs such as ‘Krestin’ from cultured mycelial biomass of Trametes versicolor, ‘Lentinan’ from the fruiting bodies of Lentinus edodes and ‘Schizophyllan’ from the liquid cultured broth of Schizophyllum commune were developed. More than 700 spp. of mushrooms have been reported to have significant pharmacological properties (Chang, 1996). Ganoderma lucidum (reishi) is a woody mushroom which is highly regarded in traditional medicine and is widely consumed in the belief that it promotes health and longevity, lower the risk of cancer and heart disease and boosts the immune system (Sissi, el. al., 2004). In addition to its medicinal properties, Reishi has been used as a talisman to protect a person or home against evil (Chang & Buswell, 1999). Polysaccharide mediated potentiation of the immune function is thought to be the major mechanism of antitumor action by the Ganoderma lucidum. Among the multiple polysaccharides, beta D-glucans are responsible for the antitumor effect (Wang, et. al., 2002). Likewise there are other important medicinal mushrooms, which are being commercially exploited. Lentinus edodes, Grifola frondosa and Cordyceps sinensis have been reported to exhibit variety of healing mechanisms. Recently, it has been indicated that fractions of medicinal mushroom extract, especially from Agaricus spp., may alter the gene expression (Maria et. al 2007). Among the common edible mushrooms, it has been reported recently that white button mushroom extract readily stimulates the macrophage production of TNF-alfa (Sanhong, et. al., 2009).
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LL - 4
Biotechnology of Claviceps

P. Mehta and A. Mehta
Department of Botany, Dr. H.S.G. Central University, Saugor 470 003.

The ergot alkaloids are mainly produced by Claviceps sp. The ergot alkaloids are prime interest to biochemist and pharmacologists because of their multiple actions. The saprophytic production of ergot alkaloids is found to be more economical rather then the parasitic cultivation on rye plants. Ergot alkaloids are indole compounds having a tetracyclic system called ergoline normally formed from tryptophan, mevalonic acid and methionine. The ergot alkaloid can be chemically manipulated to form derivatives that possess altered pharmacologic effects.
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LL - 5
Biological synthesis of inorganic nanomaterials using fungi

Absar Ahmad*
Biochemical Sciences Division
National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411 008 (M.S).
*E-mail: a.ahmad@ncl.res.in

One of the important challenges of considerable topical significance in nanotechnology is the development of eco-friendly experimental processes for the economical synthesis of nanomaterials in large quantities of variable size, shape and chemical composition. While it is recognized that some of the most exquisite nanomaterials are made by biological systems (examples include silica in diatoms and magnetite in magnetotactic bacteria), the potential to exploit microorganisms in a creative manner in the laboratory for eco-friendly synthesis of nanomaterials is still largely under-exploited. In this presentation, we describe our research into the use of plant microorganisms and plant extracts in the synthesis of metal, metal sulfide and oxide nanoparticles. In a significant departure from bacteria-based methods for nanomaterials synthesis that have been investigated in some detail, we have shown that plant microorganisms such as fungi and actinomycetes when challenged with aqueous metal ions are capable of reducing the ions both intra and extracellularly resulting in the formation of stable metal nanoparticles. The formation of metal nanoparticles occurs by an enzymatic process and thus, the fungus-based synthesis process is not limited to reduction reactions alone. The versatility of this approach is underlined by our findings that enzymes such as sulphite reductase, nitrate reductase and hydrolyzing proteins are secreted by the fungi in response to metal stress thereby leading to the possibility of synthesis of CdS quantum dots, metal nanoparticles and nanooxides. The biosynthesis of nanooxides using fungi is exciting since the synthesis occurs at room temperature and thus could be of considerable commercial value. Fungi enjoy a close symbiotic relationship with plants and hence, it is quite likely that plant extracts may also possess useful biomolecules that not only carry out the range of biotransformations listed above but also control the shape of nanoparticles. We have studied a number of plant extracts for realizing metal nanoparticles and have observed that the Geranium and Lemongrass extracts result in shape modulated gold nanoparticles. In particular, the reaction of aqueous gold ions with Lemongrass extract resulted in the large-scale synthesis of gold nanotriangles with interesting near infrared absorption. Potential application of the nanotriangles in hyperthermia of cancer cells and infrared absorbing glasses/polymers are being investigated.
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LL - 6

Conservation of fungal resources by the MTCC, IMTECH

D. Ananthapadmanaban
IMTECH, Chandigarh.

The Microbial Type Culture Collection, a centre established through the initiatives by the DBT and the CSIR during 1986 is a unique centre wherein bacterial and fungal cultures are procured and preserved in the best possible ways and the services provided to its customers which are comparable with the best in the business. More than 10,000 named cultures are available for distribution and an equal number of unidentified cultures are also preserved under other research programmes. The cultures are taken due care and quality of services are always given top priority. The ‘Fungi’ division holds the largest number of cultures with the procurement of many type cultures and frequent collection trips to forest areas to get unique organisms. A detailed presentation will be made about the preservation and the quality control procedures as adopted by the MTCC. The emphasis on the importance of classical taxonomists to be part of such centres to maintain their reputation and the vigilance required in relation to the submission of cultures, a mandatory requirement for publications, will also be discussed .