Antibiotic Potential of Hericium and Hohenbuehelia Species
Hericium and Hohenbuehelia are fungal genera of interest for their medicinal applications and production of a variety of secondary metabolites. Erinacine A, produced by Hericium species, and pleurotin, produced by Hohenbuehelia species, are sought after for neuroregenerative effects and anti-cancer prospects, respectively. Here, ten cultures of Hericium and seven cultures of Hohenbuehelia were assessed for their antibiotic potential. Mycelial plugs were tested against bacterial lawns of five bacterial pathogens: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, and Micrococcus luteus, with crude extracts being tested against the latter three. Multiple strains from both genera demonstrated antibiotic activity, with activity against Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus, S. lugdunensis, and M. luteus). Hericium abietis and Hericium coralloides were the species showing greatest antibiotic activity in mycelium and crude extract tests. Liquid chromatography – mass spectroscopy analysis of the extracts indicated erinacine A and pleurotin were not the compounds responsible for the bacterial inhibition seen.
Antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, Hericium, Hohenbuehelia, erinacine A, pleurotin
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