Autor(es):
Paterson, R. R. M.
; Venâncio, Armando
; Lima, Nelson
Data: 2005
Identificador Persistente: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/4014
Origem: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Descrição
The goal is to provide an objective and practical identification scheme for Penicillium
by using patulin as an example. The taxonomy of penicillia is unstable particularly in the important antibiotic and mycotoxin-producing subgenus Penicillium. Nonspecialists especially encounter difficulty with assigning names. Name changes of
important fungi have occurred frequently and recently: There are difficulties relating
identifications to mycotoxin production. This is necessary for controlling mycotoxin
contamination in food, etc. Patulin is an important mycotoxin which has strict limits in
the USA, European Union and elsewhere.
Patulin and/or the isoepoxydon dehydrogenase (IDH) gene of the metabolic pathway
have been analysed in 318 strains of Penicillium. The procedures involved
predominately TLC and the PCR. These data were used to classify the isolates, although
the applied aspects of the scheme are emphasised.
Subgenus Penicillium contained most of the IDH and patulin positives. Many of the
taxa were represented by positive and negative IDH and patulin detection included
within each species. Numerous species were included in each category of patulin
detection, IDH detection, etc.
The species and varieties in subgenus Penicillium which are associated with patulin
production can be reduced to one name, viz. Penicillium Penicillium patulin positive.
This can be abbreviated to, Penicillium Penpat+. Other examples are Penicillium
PenIDH+; Penicillium PenIDH+pat+. The occurrence of positive and negative detection
within species demonstrates that identifications based on morphology do not necessarily
indicate patulin production. The classification will lead naturally to the number of taxa
being reduced dramatically. In addition, more meaningful results are obtained in terms
of the potential for patulin production. The identification can accommodate quantitative
data, and the concept could be extended usefully to other fungi. Identifications will be
useful particularly to those attempting to identify weak spots in food commodity
systems.