Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 7, 2026

A Precise and Quantifiable Method for Collecting Hemolymph from Small Arthropods
03:39

A Precise and Quantifiable Method for Collecting Hemolymph from Small Arthropods

Published on: April 28, 2023

A hemolysin from the mushroom Pleurotus eryngii

Patrick H K Ngai1, T B Ng

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China. b021770@mailserv.cuhk.edu.hk

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
|June 29, 2006
PubMed

Insights

A novel mushroom hemolysin, eryngeolysin, was isolated from Pleurotus eryngii. It shows homology to other mushroom toxins and exhibits selective cytotoxicity and antibacterial activity, impacting immune cell responses.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Mycology
  • Immunology

Background:

  • Mushroom-derived proteins are a source of bioactive compounds.
  • Hemolysins are proteins that lyse red blood cells, with diverse biological functions.
  • Understanding the properties of novel hemolysins can reveal new therapeutic or research tools.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To isolate and characterize a novel hemolysin from Pleurotus eryngii.
  • To investigate the biochemical properties and biological activities of the purified hemolysin, named eryngeolysin.
  • To compare eryngeolysin with known homologous mushroom toxins.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of eryngeolysin using gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography.
  • Determination of N-terminal sequence and homology analysis.
  • Assays for hemolytic activity across pH and temperature ranges, cytotoxicity, antibacterial activity, and effects on mitogenic responses.

Main Results:

  • A 17-kDa monomeric hemolysin, eryngeolysin, was purified from Pleurotus eryngii.
  • Eryngeolysin showed homology to ostreolysin and aegerolysin, with stability over a wide pH range (4.0-12.0) and temperature range (0-30°C).
  • The hemolysin displayed selective cytotoxicity towards leukemia cells, antibacterial activity against Bacillus sp., and inhibited murine splenocyte mitogenesis, with differential protection by PEG 10000.

Conclusions:

  • Eryngeolysin is a novel mushroom-derived hemolysin with unique biochemical and biological properties.
  • Its selective cytotoxicity and immunomodulatory effects suggest potential applications.
  • The differential osmotic protection of hemolytic versus anti-mitogenic activities highlights distinct mechanisms of action.

More Related Videos

Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/4306:06

Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/43

Published on: September 11, 2020

Staphylococcus aureus Growth using Human Hemoglobin as an Iron Source06:37

Staphylococcus aureus Growth using Human Hemoglobin as an Iron Source

Published on: February 7, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota01:26

Fungal Phylum Basidiomycota

Basidiomycota is a diverse phylum of fungi that includes ecologically significant decomposers such as white rot fungi, symbionts like mycorrhizal fungi, plant pathogens such as rusts and smuts, and edible species like Agaricus bisporus (the common button mushroom). These fungi play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, symbiotic relationships, and even human health. Their defining feature is the basidium, a microscopic club-shaped structure responsible for producing basidiospores.Fruiting Bodies...
Antifungal Agents01:15

Antifungal Agents

Amphotericin B is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that exploits structural differences between fungal and mammalian cell membranes. Its amphipathic structure—featuring a hydrophobic polyene-lactone ring and a hydrophilic region containing mycosamine and carboxylic acid groups—enables selective binding to ergosterol, a sterol predominantly found in fungal plasma membranes. This selective interaction underlies the drug’s antifungal activity, although weak binding to cholesterol contributes to...
Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence01:20

Determinants of Bacterial Pathogenicity and Virulence

Pathogenic bacteria employ a variety of strategies to establish infections, including the secretion of extracellular enzymes that act as potent virulence factors. These enzymes facilitate bacterial colonization of host tissues and help evade immune surveillance. By targeting structural components of host tissues and interfering with immune mechanisms, these enzymes play a pivotal role in disease progression.Extracellular Enzymes Facilitating Tissue Invasion: Several bacterial pathogens secrete...
Plague01:24

Plague

Plague is a highly virulent zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic coccobacillus. This pathogen primarily circulates among rodent populations and is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected fleas. Additional transmission routes include direct contact with infected animal tissue or inhalation of respiratory droplets from individuals with pneumonic plague. These multiple transmission pathways highlight the bacterium’s potential for rapid...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Fungal Group Zygomycota01:29

Fungal Group Zygomycota

Zygomycota, previously classified as a distinct fungal group, are primarily terrestrial, saprophytic molds that play a crucial role as decomposers. Recent phylogenetic studies have revealed that these fungi are now divided into two major clades — Mucoromycota, which includes many symbiotic species, and Zoopagomycota, which primarily consists of parasitic and pathogenic fungi. These groups exhibit distinct ecological roles and reproductive strategies while sharing key structural and...