MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis and Comparison of Their Chemical Composition.

Many Cordyceps sensu lato species are used as traditional Chinese medicines. However, Cordyceps are entomopathogenic fungi in the family Clavicipitaceae of Ascomycota, and excessive harvesting severely disrupts natural habitat ecosystems. Artificial cultivation of Cordyceps fruiting bodies offers a viable strategy to protect the ecological environment and mitigate the depletion of wild resource. In this study, mononucleate hyphae were selected using DAPI fluorescence staining, the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 strains of O. xuefengensis were successfully distinguished using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The chemical composition and bioactive components of fruiting bodies produced by these strains were compared. Results showed that the levels of adenosine, thymidine, adenine, guanosine, uridine, total amino acids, and total essential amino acids in the fruiting bodies of MAT1-1 strains were 1.31 mg/g, 0.15 mg/g, 0.26 mg/g, 2.40 mg/g, 2.34 mg/g, 270.3 mg/g, and 102.5 mg/g, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the MAT1-2 sample. Contrastingly, the fruiting bodies of MAT1-2 strains contained higher levels of mannose and polysaccharides, at 11.7% and 12.2%, respectively. The levels of toxic elements such as Al, Pb, As, and Hg in the MAT1-1 fruiting bodies were 1.862 mg/kg, 0.0848 mg/kg, 0.534 mg/kg, and 0.0054 mg/kg, respectively, which were markedly lower than those in the MAT1-2 fruiting bodies.

New insights into the chemistry and anticancer activity of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis.

Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis (O. xuefengensis), the sister taxon of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (O. sinensis), is consumed as a "tonic food" due to its health benefits. However, little is known regarding the chemistry and bioactivity of O. xuefengensis. In this study, we characterized 80 indole-based alkaloids in the ethyl acetate fraction of O. xuefengensis by high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), of which 54 indole-based alkaloids were identified as possibly new compounds. Furthermore, 29 of these compounds were established as potential anti-cancer compounds by ligand fishing combined with HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Moreover, molecular docking identified the NH- and OH- groups of these compounds as the key active groups. The present study has expanded the knowledge on the characteristic indole-based alkaloids and anti-cancer activity of O. xuefengensis.

Indole-based alkaloids from Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis.

Seven undescribed indole-based alkaloids, xuefengins A-D and xuefenglasins A-C, were isolated from natural Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis, along with six known alkaloids. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopy, with absolute configurations confirmed by comparison with calculated electronic circular dichroism spectra. Eleven of the isolates were tested for cytotoxicity against the U937, NB4, MCF-7, Hep G2, and A549 cancer cell lines. Two compounds exhibited moderate activities, with IC50 values of 2.83-25.68 µM and 1.54-12.16 µM. Further pharmacological studies showed that these two compounds inhibit cell proliferation by inducing apoptosis, and decreasing p38 and caspase-3 levels in A549 cells.

UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis of anticancer fractions from Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis and Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis (O. xuefengensis), a new species of caterpillar fungus, has been identified as the sister taxon of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (O. sinensis). The aims of the present study are to evaluate the anticancer activity and to qualitatively analyze the potential bioactive chemical constituents of O. xuefengensis and O. sinensis, comparatively. An MTT assay was used to evaluate the in vitro anticancer activities of different fractions from O. xuefengensis and O. sinensis. The results show that ethyl acetate fractions of O. xuefengensis and O. sinensis have significant in vitro anticancer activity. These two bioactive fractions were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization with quadrupole-time of flight tandem mass spectrometry technology. A total of 82 compounds and 101 compounds were identified or tentatively characterized in the bioactive fractions of O. xuefengensis and O. sinensis, respectively. Among these compounds, 68 existed in both O. xuefengensis and O. sinensis. A total of 67 compounds were reported in O. xuefengensis and 8 compounds were reported in caterpillar fungus for the first time. This is the first detailed comparative analysis of the in vitro anticancer activity and chemical ingredients between O. xuefengensis and O. sinensis. The application of this work will provide reliable fundamental pharmacological substances for the use of O. xuefengensis by Yao people.

Cloning and analysis of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis mating type (MAT) loci.

The entomopathogenic fungus Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis, a recently described species and identified as the sister taxon of Ophiocordyceps sinensis, is a desirable alternative to O. sinensis. The mating systems of fungi play a vitally important role in the regulation of sexual reproduction and evolution, but the mating type loci of O. xuefengensis were completely unknown. In this study, the mating systems of O. xuefengensis were analyzed. The conserved α-box region of the MAT1-1-1 and HMG-box of MAT1-2-1 were successfully obtained by PCR amplification. The distribution of both mating types in different tissues of wild and cultivated O. xuefengensis growth was detected and analyzed. The results showed that the asci always harbored both mating types, whereas the sclerotium, the stipe and each isolated strain of wild O. xuefengensis always had only one idiomorph, either MAT1-1 or MAT1-2, which confirmed that O. xuefengensis is heterothallic. The MAT1-1 locus of O. xuefengensis harbors MAT1-1-1, MAT1-1-2 and MAT1-1-3, and MAT1-2 contains the MAT1-2-1 gene. Southern blot analysis showed the MAT-1-1-1 and MAT-1-2-1 genes were single-copy in O. xuefengensis. These results will help to understand its life cycle and support artificial cultivation of O. xuefengensis.

A new cordycepin-producing caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis with artificial infection to the host, cultivation of mycelia and stromata.

Caterpillar fungi have numerous pharmacological and therapeutic applications in traditional medicine, due to a variety of active chemical constituents, such as cordycepin and adenosine. It is imperative to discover new resource for artificial cultivation and biometabolite production since the traditional natural species are endangered. In this study, a new strain HACM 001 was isolated and identified as Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis by rDNA-ITS sequencing. This strain showed the potential of artificial infection to caterpillar larvae leading to mummification, as well as fermentation mycelia in liquid culture and cultivation stromata in solid medium. Eight nucleosides and nucleobases, especially cordycepin and adenosine, were determined and analyzed with HPLC-DAD-Q-TOF-MS/MS technology. Cordycepin was detected in all forms of present O. xuefengensis strain at different contents, among which the highest content (37.1 µg/g) appeared in the stromata cultivated on solid medium. The content of adenosine in mycelia and stromata, respectively, reached 1155 µg/g and 1470 µg/g. Therefore, O. xuefengensis might be an alternative source for obtaining artificial fungus-caterpillar-larvae complex and producing cordycepin and adenosine.

Determination of the Main Nucleosides and Nucleobases in Natural and Cultured Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis.

Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis, a recently described species of Ophiocordycepsthat is associated with the larvae of Phassusnodus (Hepialidae) in the living root or trunk of the medicinal plant Clerodendrumcyrtophyllum, isthe largest known Cordycepsspecies and is recognized as a desirable alternative for natural Ophiocordycepssinensis. This study investigated the main nucleosides and nucleobases in natural and cultured Ophiocordycepsxuefengensis. The contents of the nucleosides and nucleobases in the natural and cultured samples were determined by reverse phase HPLC. The highest concentration of adenosine was found in the natural fruit body and the cultured stroma, with almost no adenosine in the cadaver of Phassusnodus. The contents of adenine, guanosine, uridine and uracil in the cultured mycelium were significantly higher than those in the natural sample. Inosine was only detected in the natural samples. Thymidine and 2-deoxyadenosine were only found in the cadaver of Phassusnodus. Cordycepin was not detected in the five samples examined. These results suggested that the cultured mycelium and cultured stroma of Ophiocordycepsxuefengensis might be a promising substitute for natural O. xuefengensis.

Primary Study on the Synthesis of Active Ingredients of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis by Submerged Fer-mentation Method / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE:To explore basic technology for synthesis of active ingredients of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis,and provide necessary technical support for comprehensive development of O. xuefengensis sourse. METHODS:Submerged fermenta-tion method was used to cultivate the mycelium,achieving efficient synthesis of active ingredients by controlling medium composi-tion and cultivation conditions. Using the bacteria as starting strain,the effects of different carbon sources (sucrose,glucose and soluble starch),different nitrogen sources (peptone,yeast extract powder,yeast extract,sodium nitrate,potassium nitrate and urea),different vitamin B(vitamin B1 and vitamin B complex)and different initial pH(pH was set at 4,5,6,7,8 and 9,re-spectively)on mycelial growth,extracellular and intracellular polysaccharide synthesis,cordycepin synthesis and intracellular triter-penoid synthesis were investigated to screen the optimal medium composition. RESULTS:The optimal carbon source,nitrogen source,vitamin B and initial pH were sucrose,yeast extract powder,vitamin B1 and 8,respectively. High biomass and metabolite accumulation levels can be obtained when carbon source was sucrose,nitrogen source was yeast extract powder,adding 0.1 g/L vi-tamin B1 with initial pH of 8. CONCLUSIONS:O. xuefengensis can efficiently accumulate metabolites,and achieve the optimiza-tion of strain cell growth and synthesis of active metabolite by optimizing and controlling the fermentation process.

Effects of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis on proliferation of DC-CIK cells and activity of killing HepG-2 cells by DC-CIK cells / 中国免疫学杂志

Objective:To study the effects of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis on proliferation of DC -CIK cells and the activity of killing HepG-2 cells by DC-CIK cells.Methods:Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were routinely isolated and induced into DC and CIK.DC and CIK co-cultured by 1∶5 for 7 days,then Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis were added into medicine group ,observed the mor-phology of the cells on the tenth day and counted the DC-CIK number of each group.DC-CIK cells acted as effector cells and the HepG-2 cells as target cells , cck-8 method for the detection of DC-CIK in the killing rate of HepG-2.Results: The Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis was able to proliferate the DC-CIK dramatically ,the optimal concentration was 0.1 mg/ml.Cultivation of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis induced DC-CIK cells on HepG-2 cells killing effect was better than that of the routine method of DC-CIK cells; the effection of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis killing HepG-2 cells was not obviously.Conclusion: Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis can enhance the anti-tumor activity of DC-CIK mainly by promoting the proliferation of it.

Identification of chemical constituents in Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis sp. nov. by HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS / 中草药

Using the HPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS to analyze and identify the main components in the ethanol extract of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis sp. nov. The ethanol extract of O. xuefengensis sp. nov. was preparaed by using the ultrasonic methods, the main components in the extracts were separated by using the gradient elution method with RP-HPLC, Yuexu AQ-C18 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm); The positive and negative electro spray ionization (ESI) source was used for determine the chromatographic effluent, the main chromatographic peaks are assigned by Q-TOF. Based on the standards of MS/MS and compared with the reference results, 28 compounds, containing mannitol, adenosine, ergosterol, sitosterol, amino acid, fatty acid, and sugar, were identified. HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS/MS method can qualitatively analyze the main components in O. xuefengensis sp. nov. from the retention time, UV spectrum, precious relative molecular weight, formula, secondary fragment ions, and so on. It is an effective and fast analysis method for determining the active compounds in O. xuefengensis sp. nov.