title: Isolation, Culture and Characterization of Hirsutella sinensis Mycelium from Caterpillar Fungus Fruiting Body.
abstract: The caterpillar fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis (previously called Cordyceps sinensis) has been used for centuries in Asia as a tonic to improve health and longevity. Recent studies show that O. sinensis produces a wide range of biological effects on cells, laboratory animals and humans, including anti-fatigue, anti-infection, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor activities. In view of the rarity of O. sinensis fruiting bodies in nature, cultivation of its anamorph mycelium represents a useful alternative for large-scale production. However, O. sinensis fruiting bodies harvested in nature harbor several fungal contaminants, a phenomenon that led to the isolation and characterization of a large number of incorrect mycelium strains. We report here the isolation of a mycelium from a fruiting body of O. sinensis and we identify the isolate as O. sinensis' anamorph (also called Hirsutella sinensis) based on multi-locus sequence typing of several fungal genes (ITS, nrSSU, nrLSU, RPB1, RPB2, MCM7, β-tubulin, TEF-1α, and ATP6). The main characteristics of the isolated mycelium, including its optimal growth at low temperature (16°C) and its biochemical composition, are similar to that of O. sinensis fruiting bodies, indicating that the mycelium strain characterized here may be used as a substitute for the rare and expensive O. sinensis fruiting bodies found in nature.
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yun-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jian-Ching
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Liau
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chien-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chen-Yaw
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chiu
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chuan-Sheng
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Shun-Fu
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Tseng
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of the Pacific, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California, United States of America.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ojcius
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Respiratory Therapy, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chia-Chen
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Research Center of Bacterial Pathogenesis, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Medical Biotechnology and Laboratory Science, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Department of Laboratory Medicine, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Graduate Institute of Health Industry and Technology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Hsin-Chih
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan, Republic of China, and Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Laboratory of Nanomaterials, Chang Gung University, Gueishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China.|Laboratory of Cellular Physiology and Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America.
authors.forename: John D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000235:genetics; D048690:Fruiting Bodies, Fungal / Q000254:growth & development; D058885:Multilocus Sequence Typing; D025282:Mycelium / Q000254:growth & development*; D016533:Mycological Typing Techniques; D010802:Phylogeny
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer