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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Poisonous Plant Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #298894
Title: Production of the alkaloid swainsonine by a fungal endophyte in the host Swainsona canescens

Author
item Grum, Daniel
item Cook, Daniel
item BAUCOM, DEANA - New Mexico State University
item Mott, Ivan
item Gardner, Dale
item CREAMER, REBECCA - New Mexico State University
item ALLEN, JEREMY - Animal Health Laboratory Of Australia

Submitted to: Journal of Natural Products
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/9/2013
Publication Date: 9/20/2013
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/62995
Citation: Grum, D.S., Cook, D., Baucom, D., Mott, I.W., Gardner, D.R., Creamer, R., Allen, J.G. 2013. Production of the alkaloid swainsonine by a fungal endophyte in the host Swainsona canescens. Journal of Natural Products. 76(10):1984-1988.

Interpretive Summary: Legumes belonging to the Astragalus, Oxytropis, and Swainsona genera have been noted by ranchers in the Americas, Asia and Australia to cause a neurologic disease often referred to as locoism or peastruck. The toxin in these legumes is swainsonine. Recent research has shown that in Astragalus and Oxytropis species swainsonine is produced by a fungal endophyte belonging to the Undifilum genus. Here Swainsona canescens is shown to harbor an endophyte which is closely related to Undifilum species previously cultured from locoweeds of North America and Asia. The endophyte produces swainsonine in vitro and was detected by PCR and culturing in S. canescens. The endophyte isolated from S. canescens was characterized as an Undifilum species using morphological and phylogenetic analyses.

Technical Abstract: Legumes belonging to the Astragalus, Oxytropis, and Swainsona genera have been noted by ranchers in the Americas, Asia and Australia to cause a neurologic disease often referred to as locoism or peastruck. The toxin in these legumes is swainsonine, an a-mannosidase and mannosidase II inhibitor. Recent research has shown that in Astragalus and Oxytropis species swainsonine is produced by a fungal endophyte belonging to the Undifilum genus. Here Swainsona canescens is shown to harbor an endophyte which is closely related to Undifilum species previously cultured from locoweeds of North America and Asia. The endophyte produces swainsonine in vitro and was detected by PCR and culturing in S. canescens. The endophyte isolated from S. canescens was characterized as an Undifilum species using morphological and phylogenetic analyses.