Amatoxins and phallotoxins in indigenous and introduced South African Amanita species

Chemical modification allows phallotoxins and amatoxins to be used as tools in cell biology

Phallotoxins inhibit the dynamics of microfilaments in cells and lead to apoptosis. Due to poor cellular uptake these effects cannot be studied in live cells, even at millimolar toxin concentrations, nor can phalloidin be used for the elimination of tumor cells. Uptake is greatly enhanced by conjugation of phallotoxins to either lipophilic or polycationic moieties, such as oleic acid, polylysin...

Detection of Amatoxins and Phallotoxins by Ultra- Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled with Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Ribosomal biosynthesis of the cyclic peptide toxins of Amanita mushrooms.

Some species of mushrooms in the genus Amanita are extremely poisonous and frequently fatal to mammals including humans and dogs. Their extreme toxicity is due to amatoxins such as alpha- and beta-amanitin. Amanita mushrooms also biosynthesize a chemically related group of toxins, the phallotoxins, such as phalloidin. The amatoxins and phallotoxins (collectively known as the Amanita toxins) are...

Profiling of Amatoxins and Phallotoxins in the Genus Lepiota by Liquid Chromatography Combined with UV Absorbance and Mass Spectrometry

Species in the mushroom genus Lepiota can cause fatal mushroom poisonings due to their content of amatoxins such as α-amanitin. Previous studies of the toxin composition of poisonous Lepiota species relied on analytical methods of low sensitivity or resolution. Using liquid chromatography coupled to UV absorbance and mass spectrometry, we analyzed the spectrum of peptide toxins present in six I...

Cryopreservation of South African indigenous goat semen

The aim of this study was to cryopreserve and evaluate frozen-thawed semen parameters. Electroejaculator was used to collect semen from six bucks. Semen samples were divided into two parts. In one part, seminal plasma was removed and was not in the other one. Both semen sample parts were extended with egg-yolk Tris extender. Semen was thereafter cryopreserved in straws using liquid nitrogen. Da...