''Acremonium'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

in the family

Hypocreaceae The Hypocreaceae are a family within the class Sordariomycetes. Species of Hypocreaceae are usually recognized by their brightly colored, perithecial ascomata, typically yellow, orange or red. The family was proposed by Giuseppe De Notaris in 184 ...

. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''.

Description

''Acremonium''

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and produce mostly simple

phialide The phialide ( ; el, phialis, diminutive of phiale, a broad, flat vessel) is a flask-shaped projection from the vesicle (dilated part of the top of conidiophore) of certain fungi. It projects from the mycelium without increasing in length unless ...

s. Their conidia are usually one-celled (i.e. ameroconidia), hyaline or pigmented, globose to cylindrical, and mostly aggregated in slimy heads at the

apex The apex is the highest point of something. The word may also refer to: Arts and media Fictional entities * Apex (comics), a teenaged super villainess in the Marvel Universe * Ape-X, a super-intelligent ape in the Squadron Supreme universe *Apex, ...

of each phialide. ''

Epichloë ''Epichloë'' is a genus of ascomycete fungi forming an endophytic symbiosis with grasses. Grass choke disease is a symptom in grasses induced by some ''Epichloë'' species, which form spore-bearing mats ( stromata) on tillers and suppress t ...

'' species are closely related and were once included in ''Acremonium'', but were later split off into a new genus ''

Neotyphodium ''Neotyphodium'' is a genus of endophytic fungi symbiotic with grasses. It used to contain a number of asexually reproducing species that colonize the leaves of cool-season grasses, but most of them, including the type species '' N. coenophial ...

'', which has now been restructured within the genus ''

''.

Clinical significance

The genus ''Acremonium'' contains about 100 species, of which most are

saprophytic Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ( ...

, being isolated from dead plant material and soil. Many species are recognized as opportunistic pathogens of man and animals, causing

eumycetoma Eumycetoma, also known as Madura foot, is a persistent fungal infection of the skin and the tissues just under the skin, affecting most commonly the feet, although it can occur in hands and other body parts. It starts as a painless wet nodule ...

onychomycosis Onychomycosis, also known as tinea unguium, is a fungal infection of the nail. Symptoms may include white or yellow nail discoloration, thickening of the nail, and separation of the nail from the nail bed. Toenails or fingernails may be affected, ...

, and

hyalohyphomycosis Hyalohyphomycosis is a group of opportunistic mycotic infections caused by nondematiaceous molds, and may be contrasted with phaeohyphomycosis. A hyalohyphomycetes example is ''Fusarium''. See also * ''Acremonium ''Acremonium'' is a genus ...

. Infections of humans by fungi of this genus are rare, but clinical manifestations of hyalohyphomycosis caused by ''Acremonium'' may include arthritis,

osteomyelitis Osteomyelitis (OM) is an infection of bone. Symptoms may include pain in a specific bone with overlying redness, fever, and weakness. The long bones of the arms and legs are most commonly involved in children e.g. the femur and humerus, while the ...

peritonitis Peritonitis is inflammation of the localized or generalized peritoneum, the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and cover of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss. One part o ...

endocarditis Endocarditis is an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, the endocardium. It usually involves the heart valves. Other structures that may be involved include the interventricular septum, the chordae tendineae, the mural endocardium, or the ...

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severi ...

cerebritis Cerebritis is the inflammation of the cerebrum, which performs a number of important functions, such as memory and speech. It is also defined as a purulent nonencapsulated parenchymal infection of brain which is characterized by nonspecific featu ...

, and subcutaneous infection. The

cephalosporins The cephalosporins (sg. ) are a class of β-lactam antibiotics originally derived from the fungus ''Acremonium'', which was previously known as ''Cephalosporium''. Together with cephamycins, they constitute a subgroup of β-lactam antibiotics ...

, a class of

β-lactam A beta-lactam (β-lactam) ring is a four-membered lactam. A ''lactam'' is a cyclic amide, and ''beta''-lactams are named so because the nitrogen atom is attached to the β-carbon atom relative to the carbonyl. The simplest β-lactam possible is ...

antibiotics, were derived from ''Acremonium''. It was first isolated as an antibiotic by the Italian pharmacologist

Giuseppe Brotzu Giuseppe Brotzu (Cagliari, 24 January 1895 – Cagliari, 8 April 1976) was an Italian pharmacologist and politician. Biography Giuseppe Brotzu was born in Ghilarza, a town of the Province of Oristano, Sardinia. He graduated from the Universit ...

in 1948.

Species

* ''

Acremonium acutatum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * ''

Acremonium alabamense ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * ''

Acremonium alcalophilum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * ''

Acremonium alternatum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

Acremonium furcatum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium fusidioides'' * '' Acremonium fusisporum'' * '' Acremonium gamsii'' * '' Acremonium glaucum'' * '' Acremonium guillematii'' * ''

Acremonium hansfordii ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium hennebertii'' * '' Acremonium hyalinulum'' * '' Acremonium hypholomatis'' * '' Acremonium implicatum'' * '' Acremonium incoloratum'' * '' Acremonium incrustatum'' * '' Acremonium kiliense'' * '' Acremonium lichenicola'' * '' Acremonium lindtneri'' * ''

Acremonium lolii ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * ''

Acremonium longisporum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium masseei'' * '' Acremonium minutisporum'' * '' Acremonium nectrioidea'' * '' Acremonium nepalense'' * '' Acremonium nigrosclerotium'' * ''

Acremonium ochraceum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium olidum'' * '' Acremonium persicinum'' * '' Acremonium pinkertoniae'' * '' Acremonium polychromum'' * '' Acremonium potronii'' * '' Acremonium psammosporum'' * '' Acremonium pseudozeylanicum'' * ''

Acremonium psychrophilum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium pteridii'' * '' Acremonium radiatum'' * '' Acremonium recifei'' * '' Acremonium restrictum'' * ''

Acremonium rhabdosporum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium roseogriseum'' * '' Acremonium roseolum'' * '' Acremonium rutilum'' * '' Acremonium salmoneum'' * '' Acremonium sclerotigenum'' * '' Acremonium sordidulum'' * '' Acremonium spicatum'' * ''

Acremonium spinosum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * ''

Acremonium strictum ''Acremonium strictum'' is an environmentally widespread saprotroph species found in soil, plant debris, and rotting mushrooms. Isolates have been collected in North and Central America, Asia, Europe and Egypt. ''A. strictum'' is an agent of hyal ...

'' * '' Acremonium stromaticum'' * '' Acremonium tectonae'' * '' Acremonium thermophilum'' * '' Acremonium tsugae'' * ''

Acremonium tubakii ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium typhinum'' * '' Acremonium uncinatum'' * ''

Acremonium verruculosum ''Acremonium'' is a genus of fungi in the family Hypocreaceae. It used to be known as ''Cephalosporium''. Description ''Acremonium'' species are usually slow-growing and are initially compact and moist. Their hyphae are fine and hyaline, and p ...

'' * '' Acremonium vitellinum'' * '' Acremonium zeae'' * '' Acremonium zeylanicum'' * '' Acremonium zonatum''

References

External links

Hyaline Hyphomycetes
{{Taxonbar, from=Q4675103 Sordariomycetes genera Hypocreaceae