Biological Sciences
Penicillium
Penicillium is a genus of fungi that includes over 300 species. It is known for its ability to produce the antibiotic penicillin, which is used to treat bacterial infections. Penicillium is also used in the production of various foods and beverages, such as cheese and wine.
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- Jeyabalan Sangeetha, Devarajan Thangadurai, Saher Islam(Authors)
- 2020(Publication Date)
- Apple Academic Press(Publisher)
Used in production of several valuable productsracemosusSoil Plant pathogenPenicilliumbilaiaeSoil Agricultural inoculantdigitatumSoil/water Plant pathogenechinulatumSoil Production of mycophenolic acidexpansumSoil Plant pathogenglaucumSoil Used in making Gorgonzola cheeseitalicumSoil Plant pathogenTrichodermaharzianumSoil BiofertilizerlongibrachiatumSoil/Water Produces xylanaseovalisporumSoil/Water BiocontrolpleurotumSoil/Water UnknownvirideSoil PGPF4.3 INTERACTION OF Penicillium WITH PLANTS
Penicillium belongs to the kingdom ‘Fungi,’ phylum ‘Ascomycota,’ class ‘Eurotiomycetes’ order ‘Eurotiales,’ family ‘Trichocomaceae,’ genus ‘Penicillium.’ Penicillium is repeatedly referred to as Deuteromycetes, or Fungi imperfecti. The name Penicillium derives from the word “brush,” which denotes to the appearance of spores in Penicillium. There are over 300 species of Penicillium, and Penicillium chrysogenum (one of the species) is classified as a psychrotrophic microorganism, which has the best lipase enzyme activity. Moreover, it was also found that among all the other fungi studied in the artic tundra, Penicillium chrysogenum showed maximum production of lipase. Penicillium chrysogenum has the capability to produce alpha-amylase as it has high enzymatic activity. Secondary metabolites are also produced due to some component that is present in the genetical structure of the fungus. Species of Penicillium are omnipresent soil fungi favoring over cool and moderate climates, generally present wherever organic material is accessible. Saprophytic species of Penicillium and Aspergillus are among the best-recognized representatives of the Eurotiales; besides, they mainly feed on organic decomposable substances. Penicillium is filamentous fungi and has split conidiospores. Round conidia are present and are unicellular. Cell walls of Penicillium species are mainly composed of Glucans. Penicillium species tend to have minor hyphae due to which the protoplasmic movement challenging to perceive. The small hyphae also lead to reduced peripheral growth zones. Penicillium spores are capable of getting wet though they have a hydrophobic surface, and this is necessary for germination to occur. Penicillium
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