Cunninghamella is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 order Mucorales, and the family

Cunninghamellaceae The ''Cunninghamellaceae'' are a family of fungi in the order Mucorales. Taxonomy At one time, this family contained four genera.Hesseltine C. W. & J. J. Ellis. 1973. Mucorales. ''in'': The Fungi: An Advanced Treatise. Volume 5B. A Taxonomic Rev ...

. The genus was

circumscribed In geometry, the circumscribed circle or circumcircle of a polygon is a circle that passes through all the vertices of the polygon. The center of this circle is called the circumcenter and its radius is called the circumradius. Not every polyg ...

by French

mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungus, fungi, including their genetics, genetic and biochemistry, biochemical properties, their Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy and ethnomycology, their use to humans, including as a so ...

Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1903. The genus name of ''Cunninghamella'' is in honour of

David Douglas Cunningham David Douglas Cunningham (29 September 1843 – 31 December 1914) was a Scottish doctor and researcher who worked extensively in India on various aspects of public health and medicine. He studied the spread of bacteria and the spores of fungi t ...

(1843–1914), who was a Scottish doctor and researcher who worked extensively in India on various aspects of public health and medicine.

Species

, Index Fungorum lists 13 valid species of ''Cunninghamella'': *''

Cunninghamella bertholletiae ''Cunninghamella bertholletiae'' is a species of zygomycetous fungi in the order '' Mucorales''. It is found globally, with increased prevalence in Mediterranean and subtropical climates. It typically grows as a saprotroph and is found in a wi ...

'' *'' Cunninghamella binarieae'' R.Y.Zheng 2001 *'' Cunninghamella blakesleeana'' *''

Cunninghamella candida Cunninghamella is a genus of Fungus, fungi in the order Mucorales, and the family Cunninghamellaceae. The genus was circumscription (taxonomy), circumscribed by French mycologist Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1 ...

'' Yosh.Yamam. 1929 *''

Cunninghamella clavata Cunninghamella is a genus of fungi in the order Mucorales, and the family Cunninghamellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by French mycologist Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1903. The genus name of ''Cunningh ...

'' R.Y.Zheng & G.Q.Chen 1998 *'' Cunninghamella echinulata'' ( Thaxt.) Thaxt. ex Blakeslee 1905 *''

Cunninghamella elegans ''Cunninghamella elegans'' is a species of fungus in the genus '' Cunninghamella'' found in soil. It can be grown in Sabouraud dextrose broth, a liquid medium used for cultivation of yeasts and molds from liquid which are normally sterile. As ...

'' Lendn. 1905 *'' Cunninghamella homothallica'' Komin. & Tubaki 1952 *'' Cunninghamella intermedia'' K.B.Deshp. &

Mantri Mantri is a word of Sanskrit origin (meaning sage, i.e. the "person who thinks and says" in that language, cf. Mantra), and it is used for a variety of public offices, from fairly humble to ministerial in rank. The term was used in various Asian cul ...

1966 *'' Cunninghamella multiverticillata'' R.Y.Zheng & G.Q. Chen 2001 *''

Cunninghamella phaeospora Cunninghamella is a genus of fungi in the order Mucorales, and the family Cunninghamellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by French mycologist Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1903. The genus name of ''Cunningh ...

'' Boedijn 1959 *'' Cunninghamella polymorpha'' Pišpek 1929 *'' Cunninghamella septata'' R.Y.Zheng 2001 *'' Cunninghamella vesiculosa'' P.C.Misra 1966

Uses

Members of this genus are often used in studies investigating the metabolism of drugs, because these species metabolize a wide range of drugs in manners similar to mammalian enzyme systems. Many species are also capable of oxidizing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, a class of stable organic molecules that tends to persist in the environment and contains many known

carcinogen A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive substan ...

ic and

mutagen In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that permanently changes nucleic acid, genetic material, usually DNA, in an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations can ca ...

ic compounds. The presence of a

cytochrome P450 Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are a Protein superfamily, superfamily of enzymes containing heme as a cofactor (biochemistry), cofactor that functions as monooxygenases. In mammals, these proteins oxidize steroids, fatty acids, and xenobiotics, and are ...

has been demonstrated in ''C. bainieri''.Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity in the fungus ''Cunninghamella bainieri'': Evidence for the presence of cytochrome P-450. J.P. Ferris, L.H. MacDonald, M.A. Patrie and M.A. Martin, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Volume 175, Issue 2, August 1976, pages 443-452,

References

Cunninghamellaceae Zygomycota genera {{Zygomycota-stub