Farrowia

Farrowia is a genus of fungi within the Chaetomiaceae family.[1]

Farrowia
Scientific classification
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Farrowia

Taxonomy

In 1975, Hawksworth suggested a novel genus for F. seminuda, F. longicola, and F. malaysiensis.[2] These species were distinguished from other Chaetomium species by their long-necked ascomata and production of anamorphs similar to Botryotrichum.[2] However, this categorization has been controversial since its inception.[3][4][5] In 2001, a molecular phylogenetic study using rRNA sequence data did not support the separation of Farrowia and Chaetomium.[6]

Widden, in 1986, suggested that Farrowia seminuda and Botryotrichum piluliferum are the teleomorph and anamorph of the same organism based on their preference for coniferous soils and visual indistinguishability.[7]

Description

Perithecia are subglobose (imperfectly spherical), with straight, unbranched lateral and terminal hairs.[2] The terminal hairs fuse to form a neck-like structure, potentially rudimentary.[2] Pedestal-like rhizoidal bases are usually present. Farrowia forms asci which are clavate (club-shaped) and deliquesce before ascospores mature.[2]The ascospores are lemoniform (lemon-shaped), biapiculate, and are not ornamented.[2] F. malaysiensiensis is reported having a longer neck than the other two species in this genus.[3][8]

In media cultures, reddish brown pigments are produced only in the presence of contaminants.[2]

Ecology

Species are widespread across tropical and temperate areas.[7][8] It is most commonly found in soil, although F. longicola has been found in leaf litter[5] and freshwater.[8]

Chemistry and Research

Novel interleukin inhibitors were isolated from Farrowia broths in 2003.[9] These compounds were named EI-1941-1 and EI-1941-2. The enzymes they specifically inhibit are elastase and cathepsin B.[9] EI-1941-2 is degraded by the presence of cysteine, but EI-1941-1 is not.[9] Further study of these ICE inhibitors could lead to new synthetic anti-inflammatory agents.

References

  1. Lumbsch TH, Huhndorf SM. (December 2007). "Outline of Ascomycota 2007". Myconet. Chicago, USA: The Field Museum, Department of Botany. 13: 1–58. Archived from the original on 2009-03-18.
  2. L., Hawksworth, David (1975). Farrowia, a new genus in the Chaetomiceae. OCLC 917990688.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Arx, J. A. von (1986). The Ascomycete genus Chaetomium. J. Guarro, M. J. Figueras. Berlin: J. Cramer. ISBN 3-443-51005-1. OCLC 13739987.
  4. Decock, C.; Hennebert, G. L. (1997-03-01). "A new species of Chaetomium from Ecuador". Mycological Research. 101 (3): 309–310. doi:10.1017/S0953756296002456. ISSN 0953-7562.
  5. Castañeda Ruiz RF, Iturriaga T, Minter DW, Saikawa M, Vidal G, Velázquez-Noa S. 2003. Microfungi from Venezuela. A new species of Brachydesmiella, a new combination, and new records. Mycotaxon. 85: 211-229.
  6. Untereiner, Wendy A; Débois, Valérie; Naveau, Françoise A (2001-03-01). "Molecular systematics of the ascomycete genus Farrowia (Chaetomiaceae)". Canadian Journal of Botany. 79 (3): 321–333. doi:10.1139/b01-009. ISSN 0008-4026.
  7. Widden, Paul (1986-07-01). "Microfungal community structure from forest soils in southern Quebec, using discriminant function and factor analysis". Canadian Journal of Botany. 64 (7): 1402–1412. doi:10.1139/b86-192. ISSN 0008-4026.
  8. Barbosa, Flavia R.; Raja, Huzefa A.; Shearer, Carol A.; Gusmão, Luis F. P. (2012-06-07). "Três espécies de Chaetomium (Chaetomiaceae – Ascomycota) da região semiárida do Brasil". SITIENTIBUS série Ciências Biológicas (in Portuguese). 12 (1): 115–118. doi:10.13102/scb111. ISSN 2238-4103.
  9. Koizumi, Fumito; Matsuda, Yuzuru; Nakanishi, Satoshi (2003). "EI-1941-1 and -2, Novel Interleukin-1.BETA. Converting Enzyme Inhibitors Produced by Farrowia sp. E-1941: I. Biochemical Characterization of EI-1941-1 and -2". The Journal of Antibiotics. 56 (5): 464–469. doi:10.7164/antibiotics.56.464. ISSN 0021-8820.


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