Polyporoid and corticioid fungi are among the most important wood-decay fungi. Not only do they contribute to nutrient cycling by decomposing wood debris, but they are also valuable sources for natural products. Polyporoid and corticioid wood-inhabiting fungi were investigated in Odaesan National Park. Fruit bodies were collected and identified based on morphological and molecular analyses using 28S and internal transcribed spacer regions of DNA sequences. As a result, a total of 149 species, 69 genera, 22 families, and 11 orders were recognized. Half (74 species) of the species were polypores, and the other half (75 species) were corticioid fungi. Most of the species belonged to Polyporales (92 species) followed by Hymenochaetales (33 species) and Russulales (11 species). At the genus level, a high number of species was observed from Steccherinum, Hyphodontia, Phanerochaete, Postia, and Trametes. Concerning distribution, almost all the species could be found below 1,000 m, and only 20% of the species were observed from above 1,000 m. Stereum subtomentosum, Trametes versicolor, T. hirsuta, T. pubescens, Bjerkandera adusta, and Ganoderma applanatum had wide distribution areas. Deciduous wood was the preferred substrate for the collected species. Sixty-three species were new to this region, and 21 species were new to Korea, of which 17 species were described and illustrated.
Base Sequence ; Biological Products ; Classification ; Coriolaceae ; Fruit ; Fungi* ; Ganoderma ; Humans ; Korea* ; Parks, Recreational* ; Phanerochaete ; Polyporales ; Trametes ; Wood

Medicinal mushrooms have been used worldwide to treat cancer and modulate the immune system. Over the last several years, there has been increasing interest in isolating bioactive compounds from medicinal mushrooms and evaluating their health beneficial effects. Fomes fomentarius is used in traditional oriental medicine and is known to possess antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antitumor effects. In the present study, we isolated fomentariol from Fomes fomentarius and investigated its anti-inflammatory effect in murine macrophages (RAW264.7 cells) stimulated with lipopolysaccharides. Fomentariol inhibited the production of nitric oxide and intracellular reactive oxygen species triggered by lipopolysaccharides. Interestingly, fomentariol differentially regulated cytokine production triggered by lipopolysaccharides. Fomentariol effectively suppressed the production of interleukin-1beta and interleukin-6 but not tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The inhibitory effect of fomentariol against nitric oxide, interleukin-1beta, and interleukin-6 production was possibly mediated by downregulation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway. Taken together, our results suggest that fomentariol differentially modulated inflammatory responses triggered by lipopolysaccharides in macrophages and is one of the bioactive compounds that mediate the physiological effects of Fomes fomentarius.
Agaricales ; Coriolaceae ; Down-Regulation ; Immune System ; Interleukin-1beta ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipopolysaccharides ; Macrophages ; Medicine, East Asian Traditional ; Nitric Oxide ; Phosphotransferases ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Fomes fomentarius is a fungus of the Polyporaceae family and is used in traditional oriental therapies. Although the anti-inflammatory activities of this species have been previously reported, the identity of the bioactive compounds responsible for this activity remains unknown. Here, we investigated whether methyl 9-oxo-(10E,12E)-octadecadienoate (FF-8) purified from F. fomentarius exerts anti-inflammatory activity in murine macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). FF-8 suppressed secretion of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 through downregulation of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 expression induced by LPS. In addition, pretreatment of cells with FF-8 led to a reduction in levels of secreted inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 in macrophages stimulated with LPS. Conversely, FF-8 did not affect nuclear factor kappaB, p38, c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways. Instead, FF-8 specifically interfered with signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation induced by LPS. Collectively, this study demonstrated that FF-8 purified from F. fomentarius suppresses inflammatory responses in macrophages stimulated with LPS by inhibiting STAT3 activation. Further studies will be required to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effect of FF-8 in vivo.
Coriolaceae* ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; Cytokines ; Dinoprostone ; Down-Regulation ; Fungi ; Humans ; Interleukin-6 ; Macrophages* ; Nitric Oxide ; Nitric Oxide Synthase ; Phosphorylation* ; Phosphotransferases ; Polyporaceae ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The polypore genus Abundisporus Ryvarden is characterized by resupinate to pileate fruitbodies with a purplish brown hymenophore, slightly thick-walled, pale yellowish and non-dextrinoid basidiospores, and causing white rot. A purple color hymenophore, an easily observable and striking character, was considered the main distinctive feature at the generic level within polypores. However, due to highly similar basidiocarp features, species identification within these purple polypores is particularly difficult. Three species of purple colored polypores have been reported in Korea (Abundisporus fuscopurpureus, A. pubertatis, and Fomitopsis rosea). Based on morphological re-examination, ecological information, and sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer, we showed that previous classification was incorrect and there is only one species (A. pubertatis) in Korea. We provide a detailed description of A. pubertatis in Korea, as well as a taxonomic key to distinguish wood rot fungi with a purple hymenophore.
Classification ; Coriolaceae ; Fruiting Bodies, Fungal ; Fungi ; Korea* ; Sequence Analysis ; Strikes, Employee ; Wood

beta-Glucosidase, which hydrolyzes cellobiose into two glucoses, plays an important role in the process of saccharification of the lignocellulosic biomass. In this study, we optimized the activity of beta-glucosidase of brown-rot fungus Fomitopsis pinicola KCTC 6208 using the response surface methodology (RSM) with various concentrations of glucose, yeast extract and ascorbic acid, which are the most significant nutrients for activity of beta-glucosidase. The highest activity of beta-glucosidase was achieved 3.02% of glucose, 4.35% of yeast extract, and 7.41% ascorbic acid where ascorbic acid was most effective. The maximum activity of beta-glucosidase predicted by the RSM was 15.34 U/mg, which was similar to the experimental value 14.90 U/mg at the 16th day of incubation. This optimized activity of beta-glucosidase was 23.6 times higher than the preliminary activity value, 0.63 U/mg, and was also much higher than previous values reported in other fungi strains. Therefore, a simplified medium supplemented with a cheap vitamin source, such as ascorbic acid, could be a cost effective mean of increasing beta-glucosidase activity.
Ascorbic Acid ; beta-Glucosidase* ; Biomass ; Cellobiose ; Coriolaceae* ; Fungi* ; Glucose ; Vitamins ; Yeasts

In an effort to identify the chemical constituents of fruiting bodies of Fomitopsis pinicola, a new lanostane triterpene glycoside, designated as fomitoside K, has been isolated from its methanolic extract. Its chemical structure was assigned on the basis of various spectroscopic studies.
Coriolaceae ; Fruit ; Methanol

A checklist is presented concerning the species composition of Hymenomycetes (Aphyllophorales s.l.) and Heterobasidiomycetes in Israel based on data of previous studies and field sample collections. In total, 242 species are presented, of which five are new records for the Israeli mycobiota, namely Australohydnum dregeanum, Ceriporiopsis consobrina, C. resinascens, Fibroporia vaillantii, and Postia inocybe. The distribution and habitat of each species in Israel are also summarized. This checklist will serve as valuable data for future species diversity studies of these fungi in Israel.
Checklist ; Coriolaceae ; Ecosystem ; Fungi ; Israel

OBJECTIVETo investigate the immunomodulatory effects of Fomes fomentarius polysaccharides (FFP) in mice.

METHODSMTT assay was employed to evaluate the in vitro metabolic activity of the mouse splenocytes treated with FFP at different concentrations, and the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) from the cells were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The changes in the phagocytotic activity of mouse macrophage in response to FFP treatment were evaluated by phagocytosis percentage of chicken red blood cells (CRBCs). The effect of FFP on the humoral immunity was assessed in mice immunized with sheep red blood cells (SRBCs) by measuring the serum levels of specific antibody (hemolysin) against SRBCs.

RESULTSFFP at the concentrations of 25, 50, and 100 microg/ml all significantly enhanced the metabolic activity of mouse splenocytes in vitro and increased the production of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-2. FFP treatment also markedly enhanced the metabolic activity of mouse peritoneal exudate cells and TNF-alpha production by the cells. At the doses of 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, FFP significantly increased serum hemolysin level in mice immunized with SRBCs, and FFP at 50 and 100 mg/kg obviously increased the capacity of mouse peritoneal macrophages in vivo for CRBC phagocytosis.

CONCLUSIONFFP can promote the secretion of TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma and IL-2 by mouse immunocytes and enhance mouse humoral immune response and the phagocytotic activity of the macrophages.

Adjuvants, Immunologic ; pharmacology ; Animals ; Coriolaceae ; chemistry ; Female ; Immunologic Factors ; immunology ; pharmacology ; Interferon-gamma ; secretion ; Interleukin-2 ; secretion ; Macrophages, Peritoneal ; drug effects ; immunology ; metabolism ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Phagocytosis ; drug effects ; Polysaccharides ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; secretion

An unrecorded Ceriporiopsis species was collected at Mt. Gariwang, Gangwon Province, in 2008. Based on morphological characteristics, such as a fully resupinate basidiocarp, a reddish white to pinkish poroid hymenophore and a monomitic hyphal system with clamp connections, the species was identified as Ceriporiopsis resinascens. This is the first report of Ceriporiopsis resinascens in Korea. We confirmed the identity of the species as Ceriporiopsis resinascens based on ITS sequence analysis.
Coriolaceae ; Fruiting Bodies, Fungal ; Humans ; Korea ; Sequence Analysis

Hypoglycemic effects of exo-biopolymers (EBP) produced by submerged mycelial cultures of Coriolus versicolor, Cordyceps sinensis, Paecilomyces japonica, Armillariella mellea, and Fomes fomentarius were investigated in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The rats from each experimental group were orally administered with EBPs (100 mg/kg BW) daily for 2 weeks. Though the hypoglycemic effect was achieved in all the cases, however, C. versicolor EBP proved as the most potent one. The administration of the C. versicolor EBP substantially reduced (29.9%) the plasma glucose level as compared to the saline administered group (control). It also reduced the plasma total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels by 9.22, 23.83, 16.93, and 27.31%, respectively. The sugar and amino acid compositions of this EBP were also analyzed in detail.
Agaricales ; Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Aspartate Aminotransferases ; Cholesterol ; Cordyceps ; Coriolaceae ; Glucose ; Hypoglycemic Agents ; Paecilomyces ; Plasma ; Rats ; Streptozocin