Kees Bas, born in Rotterdam, graduated in Biology at Leiden University in 1954, and started his life-long career at the National Herbarium of the Netherlands, University Leiden branch (then Rijksherbarium/Hortus Botanicus) in 1953 as curator for the fungi, in particular of the Agaricales. In the first period of his career he played a leading role, together with his colleague Rudi Maas Geesteran...

Amanita muscaria is the most emblematic mushroom in popular representation. It an ectomycorrhizal fungus endemic to cold ecosystems of northern hemisphere. The basidiocarp contains isoxazoles compounds that have specific actions on central nervous system, including hallucinations. For this reason, it considered important entheogenic different cultures whose remnants are still visible some moder...

Wild growing mushrooms are a rich source of novel proteins with unique features. We have isolated and characterized trypsin inhibitors from two edible mushrooms, the honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) and the parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera), and from the poisonous death cap (Amanita phalloides). The trypsin inhibitors isolated: armespin, macrospin and amphaspin, have similar molecular mas...

Evidence has been presented that a amanitin, the potent bicyclic polypeptide toxin of the toad­ stool amanita phalloides inhibits transcription by purified RNA polymerase from rat liver nuclei. This inhibition is highly specific for the mammalian enzyme, since it does not impede the same reaction catalyzed by the enzyme from E. coli thus rendering an interaction between the template and inhibit...

Mushroom-related poisoning can cause acute kidney injury. Here we report a case of acute kidney injury after ingestion of Amanita punctata, which is considered an edible mushroom. Gastrointestinal symptoms occurred within 24 hours from the mushroom intake and were followed by an asymptomatic period, acute kidney injury, and elevation of liver and pancreatic enzymes. Kidney function recovered wi...

While studying the genus Amanita in Brazil, a specimen identified by J. Rick as spissa var. laeta was found. Its morphological analysis suggested that this material certainly corresponded to one used protologue of name. For reason, it is designated here neotype.