Penicillium crustosum

{{Short description|Species of fungus}}

{{Speciesbox

| image =

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| genus = Penicillium

| species = crustosum

| authority = Thom (1930)

| type_strain =

| synonyms_ref =

| synonyms = Penicillium expansum var. crustosum,
Penicillium solitum var. crustosum,
Penicillium terrestre,
Penicillium aurantiogriseum var. poznaniense,
Penicillium schmidtii,
Penicillium pseudocasei,
Penicillium farinosum[http://www.mycobank.org/BioloMICS.aspx?Link=T&TableKey=14682616000000067&Rec=18758&Fields=All MycoBank]

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Penicillium crustosum is a blue-green or blue-grey mold that can cause food spoilage, particularly of protein-rich foods such as meats and cheeses. It is identified by its complex biseriate conidiophores on which phialides produce asexual spores. It can grow at fairly low temperatures (it is a psychrophile), and in low water activity environments.{{cite book |first1=C.J. |last1=Alexopolous |first2=Charles W. |last2=Mims |first3=M. |last3=Blackwell |title=Introductory Mycology |publisher=Wiley |year=1996 |isbn=0-471-52229-5 |edition=4th }}

Penicillium crustosum produces mycotoxins, most notoriously the neurotoxic penitrems, including the best known penitrem toxin, penitrem A,{{cite journal |vauthors=Kalinina SA, Jagels A, Cramer B, Geisen R, Humpf HU |title=Influence of Environmental Factors on the Production of Penitrems A-F by Penicillium crustosum |journal=Toxins (Basel) |volume=9 |issue=7 |pages=210 |year=2017 |pmid=28671569 |pmc=5535157 |doi=10.3390/toxins9070210 |doi-access=free }} and including penitrems A through G. Penitrem G has been shown to have insecticidal activity.{{cite journal |vauthors=González MC, Lull C, Moya P, Ayala I, Primo J, Primo Yúfera E |title=Insecticidal activity of penitrems, including penitrem G, a new member of the family isolated from Penicillium crustosum |journal=J. Agric. Food Chem. |volume=51 |issue=8 |pages=2156–60 |year=2003 |pmid=12670149 |doi=10.1021/jf020983e }} In addition, P. crustosum can produce thomitrems A and E, and roquefortine C.{{cite journal |vauthors=Rundberget T, Skaar I, O'Brien O, Flåøyen A |title=Penitrem and thomitrem formation by Penicillium crustosum |journal=Mycopathologia |volume=157 |issue=3 |pages=349–57 |year=2004 |pmid=15180164 |doi= 10.1023/b:myco.0000024180.99262.b1|s2cid=23351164 }} Consumption of foods spoiled by this mold can cause transient neurological symptoms such as tremors.{{cite journal |vauthors=Moldes-Anaya A, Rundberget T, Fæste CK, Eriksen GS, Bernhoft A |title=Neurotoxicity of Penicillium crustosum secondary metabolites: tremorgenic activity of orally administered penitrem A and thomitrem A and E in mice |journal=Toxicon |volume=60 |issue=8 |pages=1428–35 |year=2012 |pmid=23085423 |doi=10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.10.007 }} In dogs, symptoms can include vomiting, convulsion, tremors, ataxia, and tachycardia.{{cite journal |vauthors=Eriksen GS, Jäderlund KH, Moldes-Anaya A, Schönheit J, Bernhoft A, Jaeger G, Rundberget T, Skaar I |title=Poisoning of dogs with tremorgenic Penicillium toxins |journal=Med. Mycol. |volume=48 |issue=1 |pages=188–96 |year=2010 |pmid=19886763 |doi=10.3109/13693780903225821 |doi-access=free }}