Odorous Constituents of Penicillium decumbens (original) (raw)

Mycologia, 1975

Abstract

The study of volatile fungal metabolites has received increasing attention in recent years and in his Presidential Address to the British Mycological Society, Hutchinson (1971) summarized the progress made to date. Hutchinson (1971) also attempted to assay the functional significance of volatile compounds produced by fungi. This aspect, however, has been more frustrating than the chemical identification of volatile fungal metabolites. Our laboratory group has been interested in the odors produced by fungi and a number of interesting chemicals have been isolated and identified (Collins and Halim, 1970, 1971, 1972), and techniques followed in these investigations were utilized in the present study. Recently our attention has been directed at species of the genus Penicilliuu. Many species of Penicillium produce characteristic odors, and according to Raper and Thom (1949) they are generally referred to as "musty" or "moldy." These same authors also suggest that odors may have some limited taxonomic value in a number of the Penicillia. For instance, among the Fasiculata, wherever odors are encountered they are generally called "moldy." In some instances, these odors, as we can attest from our own experience, are very intense, e.g., cultures of Penicillium claviforme Bain. In the biverticillately symmetrical forms placed within the P. purpurogenum series, fragrant odors are generally found; while within the Monoverticillata in the P. decumibens series, P. decumbens Thom is described as having a distinctive odor suggestive of soap perfume (Raper and Thom, 1949). This report is concerned

Jan Narciso hasn't uploaded this paper.

Let Jan know you want this paper to be uploaded.

Ask for this paper to be uploaded.