Penicillium is a genus of ascomycetous fungi that is of major importance in the natural environment, in food spoilage, and in food and drug production.
Blue cheese or bleu cheese is cheese made with cultures of the mold Penicillium, giving it spots or veins of the mold throughout the cheese, which can vary in color through various shades of blue and green. This carries a distinct smell, either from that or various specially cultivated bacteria. Some blue cheeses are injected with spores before the curds form, and others have spores mixed in with the curds after they form. Blue cheeses are typically aged in a temperature-controlled environment such as a cave. Blue cheese can be eaten by itself or can be spread, crumbled or melted into or over a range of other foods. Blue cheese is known for its pungent creamy texture.
The Trichocomaceae are a family of fungi in the order Eurotiales. Taxa are saprobes with aggressive colonization strategies, adaptable to extreme environmental conditions. Family members are cosmopolitan in distribution, ubiquitous in soil, and common associates of decaying plant and food material. The family contains some of the most familiar fungi, such as Penicillium and Aspergillus. It has been proposed that the family should be split into the three families Aspergillaceae, Thermoascaceae and Trichocomaceae.
Penitrem A (tremortin) is an indole-diterpenoid mycotoxin produced by certain species of Aspergillus, Claviceps, and Penicillium, which can be found growing on various plant species such as ryegrass. Penitrem A is one of many secondary metabolites following the synthesis of paxilline in Penicillium crostosum. Penitrem A poisoning in humans and animals usually occurs through the consumption of contaminated foods by mycotoxin-producing species, which is then distributed through the body by the bloodstream. It bypasses the blood-brain barrier to exert its toxicological effects on the central nervous system. In humans, penitrem A poisoning has been associated with severe tremors, hyperthermia, nausea/vomiting, diplopia, and bloody diarrhea. In animals, symptoms of penitrem A poisoning has been associated with symptoms ranging from tremors, seizures, and hyperthermia to ataxia and nystagmus.
Penicillium expansum is a psychrophilic blue mold that is common throughout the world in soil. It causes Blue Mold of apples, one of the most prevalent and economically damaging post-harvest diseases of apples.
Penicillium funiculosum is a plant pathogen infecting pineapples.
Penicillium griseofulvum is a species of the genus of Penicillium which produces patulin, penifulvin A, cyclopiazonic acid, roquefortine C, shikimic acid and griseofulvin. Penicillium griseofulvum occurs on cereals and nuts.
Penicillium adametzioides is an anamorph fungus species of the genus of Penicillium, which was isolated from decayed Grapes in Cheongsoo in Korea.
Penicillium anatolicum is a fungus species of the genus of Penicillium which was isolated in Turkey, Florida, in the United States and in South Africa.
Penicillium argentinense is a fungus species of the genus of Penicillium.
Medicinal fungi are fungi which contain metabolites or can be induced to produce metabolites through biotechnology to develop prescription drugs. Compounds successfully developed into drugs or are under research include antibiotics, anti-cancer drugs, cholesterol and ergosterol synthesis inhibitors, psychotropic drugs, immunosuppressants and fungicides.
Penicillium cecidicola is a fungus species of the genus of Penicillium which produces pentacecilide A, pentacecilide B, pentacecilide C.
Penicillium christenseniae is a fungus species of the genus of Penicillium which was isolated from native forest near Costa Rica. Penicillium christenseniae is named after Martha Christensen.
Penicillium copticola is a species of the genus of Penicillium which was isolated from the twigs, leaves, and apical and lateral buds of the plant Cannabis sativa L..
Penicillium euglaucum is a species of the genus of Penicillium which was isolated from soil in Argentina.
Penicillium javanicum is an anamorph species of the genus of Penicillium which produces xathomegnin.
Penicillium osmophilum is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium which was isolated from agricultural soil in Wageningen in the Netherlands
Penicillium roseopurpureum is an anamorph species of fungus in the genus Penicillium which produces Carviolin.
Penicillium westlingii is a species of fungus in the genus Penicillium which was isolated from soil near Poznan in Poland. Penicillium westlingii produces citrinin and sterol.
