Chaetomium
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Chaetomium sp. |
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Chaetomium is a genus of molds in the division of Ascomycota (Ascomycota).
description
Chaetomium colonies are often characterized by a very rapid, woolly-white growth. Older colonies turn dark brown to black, which is why the fungus is known as one of the black fungi . Chaetomium can reproduce both asexually via conidia and sexually via spores ( ascospores ). The fruiting bodies that form on older Chaetomium colonies are about the size of a pinhead. These so-called perithecia form hair-like fruit body appendages. In fact, this "hairiness" is the most striking feature of the Chaetomium perithecia . With a length of approximately 12 µm, the spores are comparatively large and difficult to fly.
The genus includes numerous species that are considered difficult to distinguish. The spores of the fungus, which differ in size, shape and color, offer important distinguishing features. Their shape ranges from rounded to elliptical with partly tapering ends. The spores of Chaetomium spinosum , on the other hand, are almost egg-shaped (see pictures in Doveri.) The hair is another distinguishing feature. Depending on the type, there are straight, coiled, spirally curved, only bent at the end or branched hair.
distribution
Chaetomium is found all over the world. In nature it contributes to the utilization of dead organic compounds. In the interior it is a material destroyer. It destroys paints and coatings by breaking down surfactants , plasticizers and binders. Chaetomium eats paper and wallpaper with the help of enzymes it produces itself , accompanied by a musty, musty “mold smell”. In wood and textiles made from plant fibers, Chaetomium breaks down the cellulose of the plant cell walls so that they lose their tear resistance. The fungus has its optimum growth at 18–24 ° C. The preferred pH is in the neutral range. At the same time, Chaetomium with aW = 0.9 needs a very high water activity in order to germinate, which is why it usually occurs in the interior in connection with water damage. It must also be regularly verified in damp filing systems.
meaning
Chaetomium is important as a material recycler. In addition to the undesirable activities of the fungus in living spaces, Chaetomium plays an important role in the sugar industry and as a stabilizer , as it forms the enzyme dextranase under suitable living conditions .
Some Chaetomium species form so-called mycotoxins (mold toxin). One of them is Chaetomin , which, according to the literature below, has nephrotoxic (kidney-damaging), cytotoxic (cell-damaging) and antibiotic (germicidal in some bacteria, similar to penicillin). In addition, Chaetomium species are known to be responsible for infections of various human organs and their allergenic potential.
Systematics
The genus Chaetomium comprises about 95 species, Chaetomium globosum and Chaetomium murorum are probably the best known.
literature
- Ulrich Kück et al .: Molds. Lifestyle, benefit, harm, control . Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009
- Indoor Air Hygiene Commission of the Federal Environment Agency: Guideline for the prevention, investigation, assessment and remediation of mold growth in indoor areas ("Schimmelpilz-Leitfaden"), Umweltbundesamt Berlin 2002
- Georg Sörgel: On the problem of the separation of species in fungi, illustrated using the example of the Ascomycete genus Chaetomium , published in the Archive for Microbiology , Springer Verlag
Web links
- Chaetomium - description of the genus by Natascha Kraemer, accessed July 20, 2014