Projekte

The Hidden Potential of South American Dermocyboid Cortinarii [POSADEC] (WEAVE)

South American Nothofagaceae forests harbour unique, endemic tree species, representing the oldest lineages of Nothofagus evolution. Ectomycorrhizal fungi co‐evolve with the associated plant partner, but mutualistic fungi are still widely under‐explored in these areas. Our previous studies demonstrated that diversity of unknown dermocyboid Cortinarii is high there, and is reflected in high chemotype (pigment) diversity. Pigments of dermocyboid Cortinarius species are based on (pre)anthraquinones, one of the most promising classes of natural photosensitizer. A systematic study of the photobiological active pigments is needed to understand the ecological function of such pigments. A thorough taxonomical investigation is essential, because chemical and pharmacological analyses must be based on unambiguously defined taxa and clearly identified vouchers.

 

 

Linking biological diversity to diversity of compounds and function is a straightforward approach, allowing for an efficient and successful discovery of new species, new compounds, and new PSs. Molecular network analyses are used as highly innovative metabolomic-taxonomical tool, and will be tested based on a multi-gene phylogeny and classical morphological methods. This will contribute to fill blank spaces in basal Cortinarius lineages on a global scale, and contribute to understanding of secondary metabolite evolution. New pigments will be discovered, isolated, and identified. Photoactive pigments are tested for biological activity with a focus on targeted light activation.

Duration

2022-2026

Primary researchers involved

Austria

Ursula Peintner, Lesley Huymann, Institute of Microbiology, University Innsbruck, Austria.

Bianka Siewert, Institute of Pharmacy, University Innsbruck, Austria.

Germany

Norbert Arnold, Leibniz-Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Germany.

Project’s research area: Isolation and structure elucidation of anthraquinoid pigments from dermocyboid Cortinarii

Cooperation partner

Chile

Götz Palfner, Universidad de Concepcion.

Argentina

Carolina Barroetaveña, María Eugenia Salgado Salomón, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Esquel.

 

 

 

Publications

Fiala J, Battlog M, Bösking J, Buchauer K, May TW, Pannwitz A, Peintner U, Siewert B (2025) Photoantimicrobial anthraquinones in Australian fungi of the genus Cortinarius. Fitoterapia 18:  doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2025.106402.

Peintner U, Huymann L, Ferrari R.J. (2025) Cortinarius spilomeoalpinus (Basidiomycota, Agaricales) a new alpine species of sect. Spilomei from South-Tyrolean Dryas octopetala habitats. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 15: 235-274.

Huymann L, Hannecker A, Turrini G, Liimatainen K, Niskanen T, Probst M, Peintner U, Siewert B (2024) Revised taxon definition in European Cortinarius subgenus Dermocybe based on phylogeny, chemotaxonomy, and morphology. Mycological Progress:  doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-024-01959-z .

Lam YTH, Schmitz L, Huymann L, Dhar D, Morgan I, Rennert R, Davari MD, Peintner U, Palfner G, Arnold N (2024) Cortinarius steglichii: a taxonomical and chemical novelty from Chile. Mycological Progress 23: 55. doi:10.1007/s11557-024-01983-z.

Siewert B, Fiala J, Hammerle F, Bösking J, Vrabl P, Lackner M, Pannwitz A, Peintner U (2024) Fungal Photosensitizers – A new Scaffold of Tailor-made Photoantimicrobials? Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy 46: 104119. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pdpdt.2024.104119.

Zuffa S, Schmid R, Bauermeister A, …  Hammerle F, Siewert B, Peintner U, ….Dorrestein PC (2024) microbeMASST: a taxonomically informed mass spectrometry search tool for microbial metabolomics data. Nature Microbiology 9: 336-345. doi:10.1038/s41564-023-01575-9.

Schinagl CW, Siewert B, Hammerle F, Spes G, Peintner U, Schlierenzauer M, Vrabl P (2023) Growth, morphology, and formation of cinnabarin in Pycnoporus cinnabarinus in relation to different irradiation spectra. Photochem Photobiol Sci 22: 2861-2875. doi:10.1007/s43630-023-00493-3.

Hannecker A, Huymann L, Hammerle F, Peintner U, Siewert B (2023) Photochemical defense as trait of fungi from Cortinarius subgenus Dermocybe. Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences 22: 147-157. doi:10.1007/s43630-022-00305-0

Hammerle F, Quirós-Guerrero L, Wolfender J-L, Peintner U, Siewert B (2023) Highlighting the Phototherapeutical Potential of Fungal Pigments in Various Fruiting Body Extracts with Informed Feature-Based Molecular Networking. Microb Ecol 86: 1972-1992. doi:10.1007/s00248-023-02200-2.

Hammerle F, Fiala J, Höck A, Huymann L, Vrabl P, Husiev Y, Bonnet S, Peintner U, Siewert B (2023) Fungal Anthraquinone Photoantimicrobials Challenge the Dogma of Cationic Photosensitizers. Journal of Natural Products 86: 2247-2257. doi:10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01157.

Siewert B, Curak G, Hammerle F, Huymann L, Fiala J, Peintner U (2022) The photosensitizer emodin is concentrated in the gills of the fungus Cortinarius rubrophyllus. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B-Biology 228:  doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2022.112390.