Cordyceps
Genus of fungi
Cordyceps
is a genus of ascomycete fungi (sac fungi) that includes about 600 worldwide species. Diverse variants of cordyceps have had more than 1,500 years of use in Chinese medicine.[1] Most Cordyceps species are endoparasitoids, parasitic mainly on insects and other arthropods (they are thus entomopathogenic fungi); a few are parasitic on other fungi.[2]
The generic name Cordyceps is derived from the ancient Greek κορδύλη kordýlē, meaning "club", and the Latin -ceps, meaning "-headed".[3] The genus has a worldwide distribution, with most of the approximately 600 known species[4] being from Asia (notably Nepal, China, Japan, Bhutan, Korea, Vietnam, and Thailand).
Taxonomy[edit | edit source]
There are two recognized subgenera:[5]
Cordyceps sensu stricto are the teleomorphs of a number of anamorphic, entomopathogenic fungus "genera" such as Beauveria (Cordyceps bassiana), Septofusidium, and Lecanicillium.[8]
Splits[edit | edit source]
Cordyceps subgen. Epichloe was at one time a subgenus, but is now regarded as a separate genus, Epichloë.[5]
Cordyceps subgen. Ophiocordyceps was at one time a subgenus defined by morphology. Nuclear DNA sampling done in 2007 shows that members, including "C. sinensis" and "C. unilateralis", as well as some others not placed in the subgenus, were distantly related to most of the remainder of species then placed in Cordyceps (e.g. the type species C. militaris). As a result, it became its own genus, absorbing new members.[8][9]
The 2007 study also peeled off Metacordyceps (anamorph Metarhizium, Pochonia) and Elaphocordyceps. A number of species remain unclearly assigned and provisionally retained in Cordyceps sensu lato.[8]
Biology[edit | edit source]
When Cordyceps attacks a host, the mycelium invades and eventually replaces the host tissue, while the elongated fruit body (ascocarp) may be cylindrical, branched, or of complex shape. The ascocarp bears many small, flask-shaped perithecia containing asci. These, in turn, contain thread-like ascospores, which usually break into fragments and are presumably infective.[10]
Research[edit | edit source]
Polysaccharide components and cordycepin are under basic research and have been isolated from C. militaris.[11]
Uses[edit | edit source]
Along with Ophiocordyceps, Cordyceps has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine in the belief it can be used to treat diseases.[12] There is no strong scientific evidence for such uses.[11]
In popular culture[edit | edit source]
Cordyceps has appeared throughout popular culture:
- In the video game series The Last of Us (2013–
present)[13] and its television adaptation (2023– present), a Cordyceps fungus infects humans, causing a zombie apocalypse and the collapse of human civilization.[14]
- It is the cause of the pandemic that wipes out most of humanity in Mike Carey's postapocalyptic novel The Girl with All the Gifts (2014) and its film adaptation (2016).[15]
- Cordyceps-infected bugs are featured as enemies in the video games Bug Fables: The Everlasting Sapling (2020) and Grounded (2022), with Cordyceps serving as a major plot point in the story of the former.
Gallery[edit | edit source]
Cordyceps beginning its fruiting growth from a wasp
Cordyceps militaris
Cordyceps militaris
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Buenz, E. J., The traditional Chinese medicine Cordyceps sinensis and its effects on apoptotic homeostasis, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2005, Vol. 96(Issue: 1–2), pp. 19–29, DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2004.09.029, PMID: 15588646, Full text,
- ↑ Nikoh, N, Interkingdom host jumping underground: phylogenetic analysis of entomoparasitic fungus of the genus cordyceps., Mol Biol Evol, Vol. 17(Issue: 4), pp. 629–38, DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a026341, PMID: 10742053,
- ↑ Cordyceps Full text, www.merriam-webster.com, Accessed on: 2023-08-22.
- ↑ Sung, Gi-Ho, Phylogenetic classification of Cordyceps and the clavicipitaceous fungi, Stud Mycol, 2007, Vol. 57(Issue: 1), pp. 5–59, DOI: 10.3114/sim.2007.57.01, PMID: 18490993, PMC: 2104736,
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cordyceps Full text, Index Fungorum, Accessed on: 4 September 2019.
- ↑ Elias Magnus Fries, Observ. mycol. (Havniae) 2: 316 (cancellans) (1818)
- ↑ Edmond Tulasne & Charles Tulasne, Select. fung. carpol. (Paris) 3: 20 (1865)
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 , Phylogenetic classification of Cordyceps and the clavicipitaceous fungi., Studies in Mycology, Vol. 57 pp. 5–59, DOI: 10.3114/sim.2007.57.01, PMID: 18490993, PMC: 2104736,
- ↑ Holliday, John, Medicinal Value of the Caterpillar Fungi Species of the Genus Cordyceps (Fr.) Link (Ascomycetes). A Review, International Journal of Medicinal Mushrooms, 2008, Vol. 10(Issue: 3), pp. 219–234, DOI: 10.1615/IntJMedMushr.v10.i3.30, Full text, Accessed on: 2009-03-10.
- ↑ , Fruiting Body Formation of Cordyceps militaris from Multi-Ascospore Isolates and Their Single Ascospore Progeny Strains, Mycobiology, Vol. 40(Issue: 2), pp. 100–106, DOI: 10.5941/MYCO.2012.40.2.100, PMID: 22870051, PMC: 3408298,
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Cordyceps Full text, , Drugs.com, 12 July 2023, Accessed on: 15 September 2023.
- ↑ Chinese Medicine Specimen Database Full text, libproject.hkbu.edu.hk, Accessed on: 6 March 2023.
- ↑
- ↑ 'The Last of Us,' From 'Chernobyl's' Craig Mazin, Is a Promising, Moving Zombie Saga: TV Review Full text, D'Addario, Daniel, Variety, 2023-01-10, Accessed on: 2023-02-15.
- ↑ The Girl With All The Gifts: Fungal Infection & Hungries Explained Full text, ScreenRant, 12 April 2020, Accessed on: 23 October 2023.
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