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Ergot Alkaloids Affect Foraging Activity of the Slime Mold Physarum polycephalum

Jordan R Sexstone1, Abigail M Jones1, Daniel G Panaccione1

  • 1School of Natural Resources and the Environment, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

Toxins
|July 27, 2026
PubMed

Insights

The plasmodial slime mold Physarum polycephalum preferred Aspergillus leporis strains producing less lysergic acid α-hydroxyethylamide (LAH). Ergot alkaloids, like LAH and chanoclavine-I, influence fungal-protist interactions.

Area of Science:

  • Mycology
  • Protistology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Ergot alkaloids are secondary metabolites produced by fungi.
  • Interactions between fungi and protists can be influenced by chemical compounds.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effect of ergot alkaloids on the interaction between the slime mold Physarum polycephalum and the fungus Aspergillus leporis.
  • To determine if specific ergot alkaloids, lysergic acid α-hydroxyethylamide (LAH) and chanoclavine-I, influence P. polycephalum's preference for A. leporis.

Main Methods:

  • Cultured wild-type A. leporis and an easD knockout mutant on agar media for 6 and 13 days.
  • Analyzed ergot alkaloid profiles of the fungal cultures.
  • Assessed P. polycephalum's preference between fungal explants using equidistant inoculation.

Main Results:

  • Six-day-old wild-type A. leporis had abundant LAH, while the easD knockout predominantly contained chanoclavine-I.
  • P. polycephalum significantly preferred the easD knockout (rich in chanoclavine-I) over the wild type (rich in LAH) at 6 days.
  • This preference diminished by 13 days as LAH levels decreased in the wild-type A. leporis.

Conclusions:

  • Ergot alkaloids, specifically LAH and chanoclavine-I, significantly affect the interaction and preference of P. polycephalum towards A. leporis.
  • The concentration and type of ergot alkaloids produced by A. leporis modulate the slime mold's behavior.
Keywords:
AspergillusPhysarumergot alkaloidslysergic acid amidesmicrobial interactions

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