where is penicillium found in nature

Full Answer

Where is Penicillium naturally found?

Penicillium is a genus of microscopic filamentous fungi, common in the environment. They can be found in the air, soil, in plants and vegetables. They are cosmopolitan in distribution. In nature, they fulfill the role of decomposers of organic matter. Many species can become pathogens of fruits, vegetables and cereals.

What fungus produces penicillin?

What fungus produces penicillin? Some of the fungi most frequently isolated from fermented and cured meat products such as Penicillium chrysogenum and Penicillium nalgiovense are known penicillin producers; the latter has been shown to be able to produce penicillin when growing on the surface of meat products and secrete it to the medium.

Are basidiospores harmful to humans?

If inhaled in significant amounts, Basidiospores can lead to serious health issues. Most issues are associated with the respiratory tract. Basidiospores have been reported in cases of allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis, allergic fungal rhinosinusitis and fungus associated chronic cough [5].

What are the symptoms of exposure to Penicillium Aspergillus mold?

• Wheezing/shortness of breath.
• Rash.
• Watery eyes.
• Runny nose.
• Itchy eyes.
• Coughing.
• Redness of the eyes.
• Long standing or frequent sinusitis.

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Is Penicillium found in soil?

Penicillium is well known and one of the most common fungi found in a diverse range of habitats, including soil, air, extreme environments (temperature, salinity, water deficiency, and pH), and various food products.

What food is Penicillium found in?

Penicillium species contaminate a wide variety of foods and are capable of growing at refrigeration temperatures. Thus they often spoil refrigerated foods, especially cheese. They are also common on grains, breads, cakes, fruits, preserves, cured and aged hams and sausages, and in the spoilage of certain fruits.

What does Penicillium do to humans?

Diseases that are as a result of Penicillium infection by any Penicillium specie are generally referred to as penicilliosis. Species of this genus have been mentioned in association with infections such as keratitis, endophtalmitis, otomycosis, pneumonia, endocarditis and urinary tract infections [2].

Is Penicillium a mold or fungus?

Penicillium, genus of blue or green mold fungi (kingdom Fungi) that exists as asexual forms (anamorphs, or deuteromycetes). Those species for which the sexual phase is known are placed in the Eurotiales.

Is blue cheese penicillin?

According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, the Penicillium cultures that create blue cheese do not produce penicillin.

Is moldy bread penicillin?

In addition, invisible bacteria that can also make you sick may be tagging along with the mold [source: Nelson]. So, while your high school science teacher was right about penicillin being made from mold, it is not a good idea to try to get this bacteria-fighting agent from moldy bread.

What disease is caused by Penicillium?

Superficial infection (keratitis and otomycosis) is commonly caused by Penicillium spp. Allergic pulmonary disease, often occupational (such as various cheeseworkers' diseases), is also common.

Can you eat Penicillium mold?

Mold Is Used to Make Certain Foods Penicillium is a genus of molds used in the production of many types of cheese, including blue cheese, Gorgonzola, brie and Camembert ( 2 , 7 ). The strains used to make these cheeses are safe to eat because they cannot produce harmful mycotoxins.

What kills Penicillium mold?

Vinegar with about 4 percent acetic acid can kill Penicillium chrysogenum but not Aspergillus fumigatus mold. A 2015 study found that vinegar with about 4 percent acetic acid was capable of treating common household molds including Penicillium chrysogenum but not Aspergillus fumigatus.

How is Penicillium spread?

Penicillium mold inhibits bacterial biofilm formation in part by producing penicillic acid and patulin. Dry spores are easily spread through the air as well as carried by water.

Where does Penicillium fungi grow?

Penicillium are very commonly found in soil, on decaying vegetation and compost or on wood, dried foodstuffs, spices, dry cereals, fresh fruit and vegetables {808, 3095}they are also found growing on building materials in water-damaged environments {413} as well as in indoor air and house dust.

Is Penicillium harmful or beneficial?

Is Penicillium harmful or beneficial? Penicillium is one of the most common fungi. It is both beneficial as well as harmful. Some of the species are used for the production of antibiotics, cheese, organic acids and enzymes.

Which disease is caused by Penicillium?

Superficial infection (keratitis and otomycosis) is commonly caused by Penicillium spp. Allergic pulmonary disease, often occupational (such as various cheeseworkers' diseases), is also common.

Is Penicillium harmful or beneficial?

Is Penicillium harmful or beneficial? Penicillium is one of the most common fungi. It is both beneficial as well as harmful. Some of the species are used for the production of antibiotics, cheese, organic acids and enzymes.

What causes Penicillium mold?

It grows most often on decaying organic materials such as fruits, vegetables and vegetation. Old bread, spoiling apples and pears, and rotting plant bulbs are all perfect habitats for various Penicillium species, which often show up as blue or green fuzzy growths.

Is Penicillium a yeast?

- Now, the Penicillium and Rhizopus are multicellular fungi while the yeast is unicellular fungi as the yeast consists of thread like hyphae but other fungi consist of septate hyphae. Thus, the correct option is 'B'.

Where is Penicillium found?

Penicillium spp. are widespread and are found in soil, decaying vegetation, and the air. Showing again how it is distinct from other species in this genus, Penicillium marneffei is endemic specifically in Southeast Asia where it infects bamboo rats which serve as epidemiological markers and reservoirs for human infections.

What are the different types of penicillium?

The most common ones include Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium citrinum, Penicillium janthinellum, Penicillium marneffei, and Penicillium purpurogenum. Identification to species level is based on macroscopic morphology and microscopic features [ 531 ].

What temperature does Penicillium marneffei produce?

Penicillium marneffei is thermally dimorphic and produces filamentous, flat, radially sulcate colonies at 25°C. These colonies are bluish-gray-green at center and white at the periphery. The red, rapidly diffusing, soluble pigment observed from the reverse is very typical. At 37°C, Penicillium marneffei colonies are cream to slightly pink in color and glabrous to convoluted in texture [ 531, 1295, 2144, 2202 ].

How does Penicillium differ from Paecilomyces?

Penicillium differs from Paecilomyces by having flask-shaped phialides and globose to subglobose conidia; from Gliocladium by having chains of conidia; and from Scopulariopsis by forming phialides. Penicillium marneffei differs as well by its thermally dimorphic nature.

How is Penicillium marneffei induced to produce the arthroconidial state?

Penicillium marneffei is easily induced to produce the arthroconidial yeast-like state by subculturing the organism to an enriched medium like BHI and incubating at 35°C, in which after a week, yeast-like structures dividing by fission and hyphae with arthroconidia are formed [ 531, 1295, 2144, 2202 ].

What color are penicillium colonies?

The colonies are initially white and become blue green, gray green, olive gray, yellow or pinkish in time . The plate reverse is usually pale to yellowish [ 531, 1295, 2144, 2202 ].

What are the secondary branches of conidiophores?

Metulae are secondary branches that form on conidiophores. The metulae carry the flask-shaped phialides. The organization of the phialides at the tips of the conidiophores is very typical. They form brush-like clusters which are also referred to as “penicilli”.

What is the color of penicillium?

Some species have a blue color, commonly growing on old bread and giving it a blue fuzzy texture. Some Penicillium species affect the fruits and bulbs of plants, including P. expansum, apples and pears; P. digitatum, citrus fruits; and P. allii, garlic.

Who first described penicillium?

The genus was first described in the scientific literature by Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link in his 1809 work Observationes in ordines plantarum naturales; he wrote, "Penicillium. Thallus e floccis caespitosis septatis simplicibus aut ramosis fertilibus erectis apice penicillatis", where penicillatis referred to "pencil-like" (referring to a Camel's hair pencil brush. Link included three species— P. candidum, P. expansum, and P. glaucum —all of which produced a brush-like conidiophore (asexual spore-producing structure). The common apple rot fungus P. expansum was later selected as the type species.

What is Penicillium nalgiovense used for?

Penicillium nalgiovense is used in soft mold-ripened cheeses, such as Na lžovy ( ellischau) cheese, and to improve the taste of sausages and hams, and to prevent colonization by other molds and bacteria.

What is the name of the bacteria that makes brie?

Penicillium candidum, which is used in making Brie and Camembert. It has been reduced to synonymy with Penicillium camemberti. Penicillium chrysogenum (previously known as Penicillium notatum ), which produces the antibiotic penicillin. Penicillium claviforme.

What are the four subgenera of penicillium?

Pitt divided Penicillium into four subgenera based on conidiophore morphology and branching pattern: Aspergilloides, Biverticillium, Furcatum, and Penicillium. Species included in subgenus Biverticillium were later merged into Talaromyces .

What are the two macromolecules produced by Penicillium and Aspergillus?

In addition to their importance in the food industry, species of Penicillium and Aspergillus serve in the production of a number of biotechnologically produced enzymes and other macromolecules, such as gluconic, citric, and tartaric acids, as well as several pectinases, lipase, amylases, cellulases, and proteases.

What are the fungi that live in soil?

Species of Penicillium are ubiquitous soil fungi preferring cool and moderate climates, commonly present wherever organic material is available. Saprophytic species of Penicillium and Aspergillus are among the best-known representatives of the Eurotiales and live mainly on organic biodegradable substances. Commonly known in America as molds, they are among the main causes of food spoilage, especially species of subgenus Penicillium. Many species produce highly toxic mycotoxins. The ability of these Penicillium species to grow on seeds and other stored foods depends on their propensity to thrive in low humidity and to colonize rapidly by aerial dispersion while the seeds are sufficiently moist. Some species have a blue color, commonly growing on old bread and giving it a blue fuzzy texture.

Why is the genus Penicillium important?

The genus Penicillium is a very important fungal genus because of its ubiquity and the role of many species in food spoilage and mycotoxin production. Recent changes to nomenclature mean that henceforth species classified in the sexual genus Eupenicillium will now be incorporated in Penicillium, while species in Penicillium subgenus Biverticillium will be classified in Talaromyces, the other sexual genus associated with Penicillium. This article provides an outline of the taxonomy of Penicillium and Talaromyces, an overview of the most important species in food spoilage, and of the most important mycotoxins produced by Penicillium species.

What is the pH of a penicillium?

All food-borne Penicillium species are capable of growth at low pH, certainly down to pH 3 and some to pH 2. All species studied have been capable of growth at pH 9, and some above pH 10.

What fungi are heat resistant?

Species of Penicillium with teleomorphs, i.e. Eupenicillium and Talaromyces, display notable heat resistance. Values around a D 90 of 2–6 min with a z value of 5–10°C have been reported for ascospores of Talaromyces macrosporus. As these fungi do not produce ascospores under conditions prevailing in food factories, the presence of heat-resistant ascospores in foods is invariably the result of soil contamination of raw materials.

How long did Penicillium sp. 511 grow?

Penicillium sp. 511 was grown on potato-sucrose-agar for thirty days. The slant cultures were soaked in acetone for one week at room temperature. After evaporation of acetone the resulting aqueous concentrate was partitioned against EtOAc. The EtOAc extract was chromatographed on a silica gel column (Wakogel C-100). The column was eluted with 20, 30, 40 and 50% EtOAc/benzene. Purification of curvularin, 8-dehydrocurvularin, 8-hydroxycurvularin and 8-methoxycurvularin was guided by a sea urchin egg assay.

What are the fungi in cheese?

Penicillium species, especially Penicillium roqueforti, Penicillium camemberti, and Penicillium nalgiovense, are used in the production of blue cheeses, white cheeses, and mold-fermented meat sausages. These fungi add a unique flavor to the food products, protect them against unwanted contaminants, and give a desired color. Even though these fungi can produce certain mycotoxins in pure culture, production of mycotoxins and other secondary metabolites appears to be a minor problem in the cheese and meat products. Penicillium caseifulvum and Penicillium solitum are potential candidates for fermenting foods, as they are nontoxic and have been found on food products of high quality.

What is the most well known example of incorrect identification of a Penicillium strain?

The most well-known example of incorrect identification of a Penicillium strain is that of Fleming’s penicillin producing strain. In 1929, Fleming reported his penicillin producing strain as P. rubrum ( Fleming, 1929 ).

What is the most salt tolerant fungus?

Penicillia constitute up to 95% of the surface funga, while few Eurotium species (Aspergillus glaucus), which are very salt tolerant, are an important part of the remaining fungi growing on meat products.

How many species are there in the Penicillium genus?

Since then, more than 1000 names were introduced in the genus. Many of these names are not recognisable today because descriptions were incomplete by modern criteria. Some names were published invalidly, or are now considered synonyms of other species. Thom (1930)revised all species described until 1930 and accepted 300 species. In later studies, Raper & Thom (1949)accepted 137 species, Pitt (1979)accepted 150 species, and Ramírez (1982)accepted 252 species (numbers include species described in Eupenicillium). At that time, a morphological species concept was used for Penicilliumclassification and identification, with DNA sequencing starting to be used during the 1990's. DNA sequencing created the threat that old names previously considered of uncertain application, because their ex-type cultures were no longer morphologically representative, could replace more commonly used but younger names. As such, the List of “Names in Current Use” (NCU) for the family Trichocomaceae(Pitt & Samson 1993) accepted 223 species and disregarded all other names as if not published. This list was updated by Pitt et al.(2000)who accepted 225 species. Species names not accepted on these lists were not to be disregarded permanently, as stated by Pitt et al.(2000), because they were not formally rejected under the nomenclatural code and could still be reintroduced in a revised taxonomy. In fact, this became common practice as many old species were shown to be distinct and were reintroduced (Peterson et al.2005, Serra et al.2008, Houbraken et al.2011a,b, Houbraken et al.2012a, Visagie et al.2013).

What is the morphology of a penicillium?

Morphology is the physical architecture through which an organism functions in and adapts to its environment, but some aspects may vary or be induced by specific cues in the immediate environment. As a result, strains characterised in one laboratory might look different when grown in another because of subtle differences in nutrients, temperature, lighting or humidity. This sometimes makes comparisons between different studies very difficult. These effects can be minimised using strictly standardised working techniques for medium preparation, inoculation technique and incubation conditions (Samson & Pitt 1985, Okuda 1994, Okuda et al.2000). We recommend the following standardised methods for laboratories identifying and describing Penicilliumspecies (summarised in Fig. 1).

What media is used for penicillium?

Colony characters and diameters on specific media are important features for species identification. Czapek Yeast Autolysate agar (CYA) and Malt Extract agar (MEA, Oxoid) is recommended as standard media for Penicillium. Even though malt extract from Oxoid is recommended, many laboratories prefer Difco. It should be noted that two different MEA formulations are widely used in modern taxonomic studies. Blakeslee's MEA was historically widely used, but lately CBS switched to a different formulation (given in Table 1). Both are suitable for characterisation, but studies should state which MEA (Oxoid or Difco) and formulation was used. The following alternative media can be used for observing additional taxonomic characters: Czapek's agar (CZ), Yeast Extract Sucrose agar (YES), Oatmeal agar (OA), Creatine Sucrose agar (CREA), Dichloran 18 % Glycerol agar (DG18), Blakeslee's MEA and CYA with 5 % NaCl (CYAS). CZ was used in the taxonomic treatments of Raper & Thom (1949)and Ramírez (1982)and is chemically well defined. However, it is not widely used for Penicilliumstudies. YES is the recommended medium for extrolite profiling of species. Sexual reproduction most commonly occurs when strains are grown on OA and thus often provide valuable taxonomic information. OA should be prepared using organic uncooked flakes and not the unsuitable quick cook oats (“3 minute oats”) or prefabricated OA formulations available. Acid production is observed by the colour reaction in CREA (from purple to yellow) and is often useful for distinguishing between closely related species. In some species acid production is followed by base production and is most often observed from the colony reverse. DG18 and CYAS often provide useful information with regards to growth rates on low water activity media. For consistent conidial colours, the addition of zinc-sulphate and copper-sulphate as trace elements (1 g ZnSO4.7H2O and 0.5 g CuSO4.5H2O in 100 ml distilled water) is of utmost importance because these metals vary widely in water sources in different locations and are critical for pigment production. For inorganic chemicals, analytical grade should be used. Experience has shown that the brand of agar used influences colony appearance. As such, it is important to test the agar for consistent character development and note the brand in species descriptions. Even though we do not recommend a brand here as standard, after extensive comparisons CBS opted to use So-BI-Gel agar (Bie & Berntsen, BBB 100030) for medium preparations. Medium formulations are given in Table 1.

What is the most common fungus in the world?

Penicilliumis well known and one of the most common fungi occurring in a diverse range of habitats, from soil to vegetation to air, indoor environments and various food products. It has a worldwide distribution and a large economic impact on human life. Its main function in nature is the decomposition of organic materials, where species cause devastating rots as pre- and postharvest pathogens on food crops (Frisvad & Samson 2004, Pitt & Hocking 2009, Samson et al.2010), as well as producing a diverse range of mycotoxins (Frisvad et al.2004). Some species also have positive impacts, with the food industry exploiting some species for the production of speciality cheeses, such as Camembert or Roquefort (Thom 1906, Nelson 1970, Karahadian et al.1985, Giraud et al.2010) and fermented sausages (López-Díaz et al.2001, Ludemann et al.2010). Their degradative ability has resulted in species being screened for the production of novel enzymes (Raper & Thom 1949, Li et al.2007, Adsul et al.2007, Terrasan et al.2010). Its biggest impact and claim to fame is the production of penicillin, which revolutionised medical approaches to treating bacterial diseases (Fleming 1929, Chain et al.1940, Abraham et al.1941, Thom 1945). Many other extrolites have since been discovered that are used for a wide range of applications (Frisvad et al.2004). Pitt (1979)considered it axiomatic that Penicilliumor one of its products has affected every modern human.

Can BenA be used for identifying penicillium species?

BenAcan successfully be used for accurately identifying Penicilliumspecies. However, as is the case for genes other than BenA, care should be taken in specific groups or situations. Infraspecies variation in BenAoccurs in some Penicilliumspecies as is observed in phylogenies published for Penicillium(Frisvad & Samson 2004, Barreto et al.2011, Peterson et al.2011, Houbraken et al.2011b,c, Rivera & Seifert 2011, Rivera et al.2012, Houbraken et al.2012a, Visagie et al.2013, 2014a, 2014b). This variation must be considered for identification purposes and especially when considering whether a strain might represent a new species. This means that in addition to the reference sequences of ex-type cultures sanctioned by ICPA, additional reference sequences are necessary to document sequence variation that differ from the ex-type. ICPA is currently working on populating such a validated database to capture infraspecies variation, but for the time being critical phylogenetic revisions of different sections should be referred to for reliable data. Alternatively, combining ITS, BenA, CaMand RPB2from a suspected new species with sequences of the same markers from related species will aid in deciding whether a species is new or not, using GCPSR as explained in detail by Taylor et al.(2000). This is in fact common practise in most studies describing and characterising Penicilliumspecies.

Where is Penicillium found?

Relative abundance of major species obtained in season (summer and winter), seaside (western and southern coast), and substrate (mudflat and sand) from South Korea.

What is the role of penicillium in the environment?

Penicillium is a good model genus for investigating fungal diversity and functional roles in the environment because of its frequent occurrence, high enzyme activity, and ability to grow on artificial media. Reliable species identification is possible because a standardized method has been outlined to identify Penicillium at the species level using morphology and the β-tubulin ( BenA) gene 3. To understand Penicillium diversity, community structure, and ecological roles, we used and compared a variety of methods: a culture-dependent approach with three different media, and a culture-independent metagenomic approach using ITS and BenA as targets. To understand the ecological roles of Penicillium in intertidal zones, we evaluated the halotolerance, enzyme activities (extracellular endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, and protease), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) degradation for cultured species.

How many species of penicillium are there in the world?

We conducted a comphrensive study to determine the species richness of Penicillium found in the intertidal zone along the Korean coast, testing for impact of season, seaside, and substrate. A total of 96 Pencillium species were identified using three different methods (isolation, ITS-NGS, BenA -NGS). We identified 54 more species than the number of Penicillium species previously recorded in Korea 27 and 58 more species than the number of Penicillium species reported from the marine environment globally 4, 5, 6, 28, 29, 30, 31. Most of the previous studies of marine Penicillium from intertidal zones focused on screening for industrially useful enzymes as well as novel bioactive compounds. Therefore, these studies primarily identified strains to the genus level only and a handful to the species level ( Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium citrinum) using ITS sequences 32, 33. Compared to our previous studies 5, 34, we identified 41 species new to intertidal zones, as well as 17 new species candidates.

How do the Penicillium communities differ?

The difference in Penicillium community between seasides is likely influenced by the difference in oceanic currents in each region. The western coast is influenced by the cold currents of West Korea Coastal Current during winter and summer, whereas the southern seaside is influenced by both the Jeju Warm Current and Taiwan Warm Current during winter and summer 54. Ocean current patterns influence on the community structure of bacteria, ammonia-oxidizing archaea, and animal biodiversity 55, 56, 57. Previous studies showed that temperature influences fungal community in marine environments 58, 59. The ocean currents likely provide temperature and physical barriers limiting Penicillium dispersal and affect Penicillium diversity. Some marine fungi have shown the differential preference on the plant species 60, 61, thus the vegetation composition in the coasts can be another environmental factor that influences on the fungal community structure. In South Korea, the flora of western and southern coasts is different 62, 63, which likely influences the Penicillium communities.

What are the enzymes produced by penicillium?

Penicillium species from various environments produce a variety of enzymes such as alginase, cellulase, chitinase, and proteasee 5, 7, 71, 72. Protease activity has been reported in fungi isolated from various marine environments 73, 74. Particularly, members in Penicillium are known for their biotechnological potential in the production of proteases 72. In our study, a relatively high proportion of Penicillium from the intertidal zone exhibited endoglucanase, β-glucosidase, and protease activity. A high proportion of species having enzyme activities and halotolerance implies that these species play an important role as decomposers of cellulose and protein in the intertidal zone. Macroalgae (over 400 species reported to date) 75 and animal debris such as crab, fish, shells, and sponges are frequently found in the intertidal zone. Penicillium species that have a high enzyme activity can use this abundant algae and animal debris on the intertidal zone as a their favorite nutrient source. Although the species in the Penicillium sections Brevicompacta, Citrina, Canescentia, Fasciculata, and Sclerotiora showed relatively higher enzyme activity than the species in the other sections, there was no distinct pattern of enzyme activity based on a phylogenetic group.

What is the role of a penicillium?

The genus Penicillium is commonly isolated from various terrestrial environments such as indoor environments, soil, and food, and is known to play an important ecological role as a decomposer 1, 2, 3. Recently, Penicillium species have been reported from various marine environments such as sand, seawater, and macroalgae 4, 5, 6, 7 and have proven to be valuable biological resources due to producing secondary metabolites and enzymes 5, 8, 9. This suggests that Penicillium also plays an important role in the marine environment. Previous studies of marine environments focused on screening for applicable enzymes as well as novel bioactive compounds through the isolation of Penicillium species 5, 6, 8, 9. Studying the diversity and ecological roles is needed to enhance our understanding of Penicillium in marine environments.

Why are penicilliums so diverse in winter?

We found that Penicillium diversity was significantly higher in winter than summer. Given that the diversity did not differ between substrate and seaside, seasonal variation seems to be an important factor influencing Penicillium diversity. High diversity in winter was also detected in studies of terrestrial fungi 50, 51, which may relate to severe environmental conditions. Various species can co-exist together in harsh environments, and, when conditions are relaxed, a single or small number of species are able to dominate and exclude other species 50. In the winter season, Penicillium may be in spore state or grow slowly, which prevents the dominance of a single species. On the other hand, nutrient deficiency may occur in winter. Since coastal zones are influenced by river flows and oceanic currents, nutrient supply can fluctuate seasonally; nutrient supply from rivers is high in summer and low in winter 52, 53. Oligotrophic condition in winter may lead to co-existence of various Penicillium species.

What is the habitat of a penicillium?

It grows most often on decaying organic materials such as fruits, vegetables and vegetation. Old bread, spoiling apples and pears, and rotting plant bulbs are all perfect habitats for various Penicillium species, which often show up as blue or green fuzzy growths.

Where do penicillium spores grow?

Spores are mostly spread in the air, and grow best in cool or moderate climates and damp environments . Some species of Penicillium are extremely useful in the production of certain meats, cheeses and antibiotics like Penicillin, which comes from Penicillium chrysogenum.

How to prevent penicillium from spreading?

To prevent Penicillium spreading, make sure your home is dry and well ventilated. Don’t keep spoiling food of any sort, because it’s a perfect environment for spores to take root. If you find a small amount of mold, soak it thoroughly with a non-toxic registered fungicide.

What is the Penicillium mold?

What Is Penicillium Mold? This family of molds was first identified in 1809 in a book by German naturalist Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link. Most of the estimated 300 or more species produce blue, green or yellow spores, and are one of the most common causes of fruit and vegetable spoilage.

Can penicillium grow in a cool climate?

Like most molds, Penicillium can only grow where there’s sufficient moisture. Some molds grow best in homes with high relative humidity, which is easy to fix: Open windows or install a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) in a cool climate, or run your air conditioning in hot regions.

Taxonomic Classification

Description and Natural Habitats

• With only one exception (Penicillium marneffei, which is thermally dimorphic), the members of the genus Penicillium are filamentous fungi. Penicillium spp. are widespread and are found in soil, decaying vegetation, and the air. Showing again how it is distinct from other species in this genus, Penicillium marneffeiis endemic specifically in Southea...

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Species

Pathogenicity and Clinical Significance

Macroscopic Features

Microscopic Features

Histopathologic Features

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Susceptibility

Overview

Ecology

Species of Penicillium are ubiquitous soil fungi preferring cool and moderate climates, commonly present wherever organic material is available. Saprophytic species of Penicillium and Aspergillus are among the best-known representatives of the Eurotiales and live mainly on organic biodegradable substances. Commonly known in America as molds, they are among the main causes of food spoilage, especially species of subgenus Penicillium. Many species produce highl…

Taxonomy

Characteristics

Economic value

Reproduction

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