NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Claviceps purpurea

Ergot is the common name of a fungus in the genus Claviceps. The fungus is parasitic on certain grains and grasses. The form the fungus takes to over-winter is called a sclerotium, and this small structure is what is usually referred to as 'ergot', although referring to the members of the Claviceps genus as 'ergot' is also correct. There are about 50 known species of Claviceps, most of them in the tropical regions. Economically important species are Claviceps purpurea (parasitic on grasses and cereals), C. fusiformis (on pearl millet, buffel grass), C. paspali (on dallis grass), and C. africana[1](on sorghum). C. purpurea can affect a number of cereals including rye (its most common host), triticale, wheat and barley. It affects oats only rarely. Divisions Chytridiomycota Deuteromycota Zygomycota Glomeromycota Ascomycota Basidiomycota A fungus (plural fungi) is a eukaryotic organism that digests its food externally and absorbs the nutrient molecules into its cells. ... A sclerotium is a compact mass of hardened mycelium (as an ergot) stored with reserve food material that in some higher fungi becomes detached and remains dormant until a favorable opportunity for growth occurs. ... Subfamilies There are 7 subfamilies: Subfamily Arundinoideae Subfamily Bambusoideae Subfamily Centothecoideae Subfamily Chloridoideae Subfamily Panicoideae Subfamily Pooideae Subfamily Stipoideae The true grasses are monocotyledonous plants (Class Liliopsida) in the Family Poaceae, also known as Gramineae. ... Binomial name Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. ... Species About 30 species, see text Sorghum is a genus of about 20 species of grasses, native to tropical and subtropical regions of Eastern Africa, with one species native to Mexico. ... Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ... Triticale Triticale (X Triticosecale) is an artificial hybrid of rye and wheat first bred in laboratories during the late 19th century, but only recently developed into a viable crop. ... Species T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum References: ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 Wheat (Triticum spp. ... Binomial name Hordeum vulgare L. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is a major food and animal feed crop, a member of the grass family Poaceae. ... Binomial name Avena sativa Carolus Linnaeus (1753) The Oat (Avena sativa) is a species of cereal grain, and the seeds of this plant. ...

There are three races or varieties of C. purpurea, differing in their host specifity [2]: G1 - land grasses of open meadows and fields; G2 - grasses from moist, forest and mountain habitats; G3 (C. purpurea var. spartinae) - salt marsh grasses (Spartina, Distichlis).

Life cycle of the fungus

An ergot kernel called a sclerotium develops when a floret of flowering grass or cereal is infected by a spore of Claviceps fungus. The infection process mimicks a pollen grain growing into an ovary during fertilization. The fungus then destroys the plant ovary and attaches itself to a vascular bundle originally intended for seed nutrition. The first stage of ergot infection manifests itself as a white soft tissue (known as sphacelia) producing sugary honeydew, which often drops out of the grass florets. This honeydew contains millions of asexual spores (conidia) which are dispersed to other florets by insects. Later, the sphacelia convert into a hard dry sclerotium inside the husk of the floret. At this stage, alkaloids and lipids accumulate in the sclerotium. Spores produced in a sporic life cycle. ... SEM image of pollen grains from a variety of common plants: sunflower (Helianthus annuus), morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea), hollyhock (Sildalcea malviflora), lily (Lilium auratum), primrose (Oenothera fruticosa), and castor bean (Ricinus communis). ... Human female internal reproductive anatomy Ovaries are egg-producing reproductive organs found in female organisms. ... Categories: Biology stubs ... Cross section of celery stalk, showing vascular bundles, which include both phloem and xylem. ... A ripe red jalapeno cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ... Asexual reproduction in liverworts: a caducuous phylloid germinating Asexual reproduction (also known as agamogenesis) is a form of reproduction which does not involve meiosis, gamete formation, or fertilization. ... Conidia are asexual spores of fungus. ... Classes & Orders See taxonomy Insects are invertebrate animals of the Class Insecta, the largest and (on land) most widely-distributed taxon within the phylum Arthropoda. ... Diagram of Ephedrine An alkaloid is a nitrogenous organic molecule that has a pharmacological effect on humans and animals. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Claviceps species from tropic and subtropic regions produce macro- and microconidia in their honeydew. Macroconidia differ in shape and size between the species, whereas microconidia are rather uniform, oval to globose (5x3um). Macroconidia are able to produce secondary conidia. A germ tube emerges from a macroconidium through the surface of a honeydew drop and a secondary conidium of the oval to pearlike shape is formed to which the contents of the original macroconidium migrates. Secondary conidia form white frost-like surface on honeydew drops and are spread by wind. No such process occurs in Claviceps purpurea, Claviceps grohii, Claviceps nigricans and Claviceps zizaniae, all from North temperate regions.

When a mature sclerotium drops to the ground, the fungus remains dormant until proper conditions trigger its fruiting phase (onset of spring, rain period, etc.). It germinates, forming one or several fruiting bodies with head and stipe, variously colored (resembling a tiny mushroom). In the head, threadlike sexual spores are formed, which are ejected simultaneously, when suitable grass hosts are flowering. Ergot infection causes a reduction in the yield and quality of grain and hay produced, and if infected grain or hay is fed to livestock it may cause a disease called ergotism. In fungi, the fruiting body (also known as sporocarp) is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. ... In botany, a stipe is a stem type of structure. ... Basidiocarps (mushrooms) of the fungus Leucocoprinus sp. ... Sexual reproduction is a type of reproduction that results in increasing genetic diversity of the offspring. ... Ergotism is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, classically due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the Claviceps purpurea fungus which infects rye and other cereals, and more recently by the action of a number of ergoline-based drugs. ...

Black and protruding sclerotia of C. purpurea are well known. However, many tropical ergots have brown or greyish sclerotia, mimicking the shape of the host seed. For this reason, the infection is often overlooked.

Effects on humans and animals - Ergotism

Ergot contains alkaloids of the ergoline group, which have a wide range of activities including effects on circulation and neurotransmission. Ergotism is the name for the collection of symptoms a human or animal has when it has ingested (too much of) this fungus. Ergotism went also under the name "St. Anthony's fire" hinting at burning sensations in the limbs[3]. Another effect of ergot alkaloids is vasoconstriction, therefore ergotism may lead to gangrene and loss of the limbs due to limited blood circulation. This may also cause insanity, convulsions, or death, due to limited circulation to the brain. Other symptoms include strong uterine contractions, nausea, seizures, and unconsciousness. Monks of the order of St. Anthony the Great specialized in treating ergotism victims with balms containing tranquilizing and blood circulation-stimulating plants; they were also skilled in amputations. Entire villages have been known to suffer ergotism after the village bakery used infected grain. Ergotism is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, classically due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the Claviceps purpurea fungus which infects rye and other cereals, and more recently by the action of a number of ergoline-based drugs. ... Chemical structure of ergoline Ergoline is a chemical compound whose structure serves as the skeleton for a diverse range of alkaloids and synthetic drugs. ... Human circulatory system. ... Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are used to relay, amplify and modulate electrical signals between a neuron and another cell. ... Ergotism is the effect of long-term ergot poisoning, classically due to the ingestion of the alkaloids produced by the Claviceps purpurea fungus which infects rye and other cereals, and more recently by the action of a number of ergoline-based drugs. ... The blood vessels are part of the circulatory system and function to transport blood throughout the body. ... It has been suggested that gas gangrene be merged into this article or section. ... Comparative brain sizes In animals, the brain, or encephalon (Greek for in the head), is the control center of the central nervous system. ... The uterus or womb is the major female reproductive organ of most mammals, including humans. ... For other uses, see Nausea (disambiguation). ... This article is about the medical term, epileptic seizure, as distinct from psychogenic non-epileptic seizure. ... Saint Anthony the Great (251 - 356), also known as Saint Anthony of Egypt, Saint Anthony of the Desert, Saint Anthony the Anchorite, and The Father of All Monks, was a Christian saint and the outstanding leader among the Desert Fathers, who were Christian monks in the Egyptian desert in the...

In addition to ergot alkaloids, Claviceps paspali also produces tremorgens (paspalitrem) causing "paspalum staggers" in cattle.

Historically, controlled doses of ergot were used to induce abortions and to stop maternal bleeding after childbirth, but simple ergot extract is no longer used as a pharmaceutical. Pharmacology (in Greek: pharmacon is drug, and logos is science) is the study of how chemical substances interfere with living systems. ...

Among those who studied ergot and its derivatives was Albert Hofmann, whose experiments led to the discovery of LSD, a powerfully hallucinogenic ergot derivative that affects the serotonin system. Contrary to some rumors, ergot contains no LSD, but there are links between the two substances: Dr. Dr. Albert Hofmann (born January 11, 1906) is a prominent Swiss scientist best known as the father of LSD. He was born in Baden, Switzerland, and studied chemistry at the University of ZÃ¼rich. ... For other uses, see LSD (disambiguation). ... Certain drugs can affect the subjective qualities of perception, thought or emotion, resulting in altered interpretations of sensory input, alternate states of consciousness, or hallucinations. ... Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or 5-HT) is a monoamine neurotransmitter synthesized in serotonergic neurons in the central nervous system and enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract. ...

For other uses, see LSD (disambiguation). ... Lysergic acid, also known as D-lysergic acid and (+)-lysergic acid, is a precursor for a wide range of ergoline alkaloids that are produced by the ergot fungus and some plants. ...

History

The disease cycle of the ergot fungus was first described in the 1800s, but the connection with ergot and epidemics among people and animals was known several hundred years before that. Events and Trends Beginning of the Napoleonic Wars (1803 - 1815). ...

Human poisoning due to the consumption of rye bread made from ergot-infected grain was common in Europe in the Middle Ages. The phenomenon known as Dancing mania has been blamed on accidental consumption of the fungus. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ... Dancing mania is the name given to a phenomenon that occurred mainly in mainland Europe from the 14th century through to the 17th century, in which groups of people would dance through the streets of towns or cities, sometimes foaming at the mouth or speaking in tongues, until they collapsed...

It has also been posited — though speculatively — that the Salem Witch Trials were initiated by young women who had consumed ergot-tainted rye. 1876 illustration of the courtroom; the central figure is usually identified as Mary Walcott The Salem witch trials, which began in 1692 (also known as the Salem witch hunt and the Salem witchcraft episode), resulted in a number of convictions and executions for witchcraft in both Salem Village and Salem...

Kykeon, the beverage consumed by participants in the ancient Greek mystery of Eleusinian Mysteries, might have been based on hallucinogens from ergot. Kykeon was the drink used at the climax of the Eleusinian Mysteries to break a sacred fast. ... The Eleusinian Mysteries were annual initiation ceremonies for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. ...

Nowadays, rye grain is infected repeatedly to produce ergot. Binomial name Secale cereale M.Bieb. ...

Gallery

External links

Psychedelic lysergamides edit

AL-LAD | ALD-52 | BU-LAD | CYP-LAD | DAL | DAM-57 | Ergonovine | ETH-LAD | LAE-32 | LSD | LPD-824 | LSM-775 | Methylergonovine | MLD-41 PARGY-LAD | PRO-LAD The psychedelic (from the Greek words for mind, ÏˆÏ…Ï‡Î· psyche, and manifest, Î´Î·Î»ÎµÎ¹Î½ delein) drugs are classified as those whose primary action is that of enhancing or amplifying the thought processes of the brain. ... Chemical structure of ergoline Ergoline is a chemical compound whose structure serves as the skeleton for a diverse range of alkaloids and synthetic drugs. ... 9,10-DIDEHYDRO-6-ALLYL-N,N-DIETHYLERGOLINE-8b-CARBOXAMIDE (AL-LAD) is an analogue of LSD first made by Alexander Shulgin and reported in the book TIHKAL. AL-LAD is a hallucinogenic drug similar to LSD, and is around the same potency as LSD itself with an active dose... ALD-52 or N-acetyl-LSD, is a chemical analogue of LSD-25 (D-Lysergic Acid Diethylamide), discovered by Albert Hofmann, but later just filed away. ... 9,10-DIDEHYDRO-6-BUTYL-N,N-DIETHYLERGOLINE-8b-CARBOXAMIDE (BU-LAD) is an analogue of LSD first made by Alexander Shulgin and reported in the book TIHKAL. BU-LAD is a hallucinogenic drug similar to LSD, but is significantly less potent than LSD with a dose of 500 micrograms... 9,10-DIDEHYDRO-6-CYCLOPROPYL-N,N-DIETHYLERGOLINE-8b-CARBOXAMIDE (CYP-LAD) is an analogue of LSD and presumably has similar effects. ... Ergonovine, also known as ergometrine, d-lysergic acid beta-propanolamide, is one of primary ergot alkaloids and an alkaloid of many species of morning glory, too. ... 9,10-DIDEHYDRO-6-ETHYL-N,N-DIETHYLERGOLINE-8b-CARBOXAMIDE (ETH-LAD) is an analogue of LSD first made by Alexander Shulgin and reported in the book TIHKAL. ETH-LAD is a hallucinogenic drug similar to LSD, and is slightly more potent than LSD itself with an active dose reported... For other uses, see LSD (disambiguation). ... Methylergonovine, also known as methylergometrine, methylergobasin, and d-lysergic acid 1-butanolamide, is a synthetic analogue of ergonovine, a psychedelic alkaloid found in ergot, and many species of morning glory. ... 9,10-DIDEHYDRO-6-PROPYNYL-N,N-DIETHYLERGOLINE-8b-CARBOXAMIDE (PARGY-LAD) is an analogue of LSD first made by Alexander Shulgin and reported in the book TIHKAL. PARGY-LAD is a hallucinogenic drug similar to LSD, but is slightly less potent than LSD with a dose of 160 micrograms... 9,10-DIDEHYDRO-6-PROPYL-N,N-DIETHYLERGOLINE-8b-CARBOXAMIDE (PRO-LAD) is an analogue of LSD first made by Alexander Shulgin and reported in the book TIHKAL. PRO-LAD is a hallucinogenic drug similar to LSD, and is around as potent as LSD itself with an active dose reported...

Contents

Life cycle of the fungus GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Effects on humans and animals - Ergotism

History

Gallery

External links

Life cycle of the fungus