Cunninghamella is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

fungi A fungus (plural, : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of Eukaryote, eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and Mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified ...

in the order

Mucorales The Mucorales is the largest and best studied order of zygomycete fungi. Members of this order are sometimes called pin molds. The term mucormycosis is now preferred for infections caused by molds belonging to the order Mucorales. Systematics ...

, and the family

Cunninghamellaceae The ''Cunninghamellaceae'' are a family of fungi in the order Mucorales. Taxonomy At one time, this family contained four genera.Hesseltine C. W. & J. J. Ellis. 1973. Mucorales. ''in'': The Fungi: An Advanced Treatise. Volume 5B. A Taxonomic Rev ...

. The genus was

circumscribed In geometry, the circumscribed circle or circumcircle of a polygon is a circle that passes through all the vertices of the polygon. The center of this circle is called the circumcenter and its radius is called the circumradius. Not every po ...

by French

mycologist Mycology is the branch of biology concerned with the study of fungi, including their genetic and biochemical properties, their taxonomy and their use to humans, including as a source for tinder, traditional medicine, food, and entheogens, as w ...

Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot (born 14 January 1863 in Verrey-sous-Salmaise and died 5 July 1921 in Paris) was a French mycologist. In 1883 he began work as an assistant teacher at the Lycée Saint-Louis in Paris. In 1889 he received his agrégati ...

in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1903. The genus name of ''Cunninghamella'' is in honour of

David Douglas Cunningham David Douglas Cunningham (29 September 1843 – 31 December 1914) was a Scottish doctor and researcher who worked extensively in India on various aspects of public health and medicine. He studied the spread of bacteria and the spores of fungi t ...

(1843–1914), who was a Scottish doctor and researcher who worked extensively in India on various aspects of public health and medicine.

Species

Index Fungorum ''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (scientific names) in the fungus kingdom. the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partners along with Landcare Research and the Institute of M ...

lists 13 valid species of ''Cunninghamella'': *''

Cunninghamella bertholletiae ''Cunninghamella bertholletiae'' is a species of zygomycetous fungi in the order '' Mucorales''. It is found globally, with increased prevalence in Mediterranean and subtropical climates. It typically grows as a saprotroph and is found in a wi ...

'' *''

Cunninghamella binarieae ''Cunninghamella binarieae'' is a species of fungus in the family Cunninghamellaceae. It was described as new to science by mycologist Ru-Yong Zheng in 2001. It is closely related to ''Cunninghamella bertholletiae ''Cunninghamella berthollet ...

'' R.Y.Zheng 2001 *''

Cunninghamella blakesleeana ''Cunninghamella blakesleeana'' is a fungus species in the genus '' Cunninghamella''. Biotechnology use Microbiological oxidation of steroids has been studied using ''Cunninghamella blakesleeana'' H-334. ''Cunninghamella blakesleeana'' has be ...

'' *'' Cunninghamella candida'' Yosh.Yamam. 1929 *'' Cunninghamella clavata'' R.Y.Zheng & G.Q.Chen 1998 *''

Cunninghamella echinulata ''Cunninghamella echinulata'' is a fungal species in the genus '' Cunninghamella.'' It is an asexually reproducing fungus and a mesophile, preferring intermediate temperature ranges. ''C. echinulata'' is a common air contaminant, and is currentl ...

'' ( Thaxt.) Thaxt. ex Blakeslee 1905 *''

Cunninghamella elegans ''Cunninghamella elegans'' is a species of fungus in the genus ''Cunninghamella'' found in soil. It can be grown in Sabouraud dextrose broth, a liquid medium used for cultivation of yeasts and molds from liquid which are normally sterile. As o ...

'' Lendn. 1905 *'' Cunninghamella homothallica'' Komin. & Tubaki 1952 *''

Cunninghamella intermedia Cunninghamella is a genus of fungi in the order Mucorales, and the family Cunninghamellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by French mycologist Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1903. The genus name of ''Cunningham ...

'' K.B.Deshp. &

Mantri Mantri is a word of Sanskrit origin (meaning sage, i.e. the "person who thinks and says" in that language, cf. Mantra), and it is used for a variety of public offices, from fairly humble to ministerial in rank. The term was used in various Asian cu ...

1966 *'' Cunninghamella multiverticillata'' R.Y.Zheng &

G.Q. Chen ''GQ'' (formerly ''Gentlemen's Quarterly'' and ''Apparel Arts'') is an American international monthly men's magazine based in New York City and founded in 1931. The publication focuses on fashion, style, and culture for men, though articles ...

2001 *'' Cunninghamella phaeospora'' Boedijn 1959 *''

Cunninghamella polymorpha Cunninghamella is a genus of fungi in the order Mucorales, and the family Cunninghamellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by French mycologist Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1903. The genus name of ''Cunnin ...

'' Pišpek 1929 *''

Cunninghamella septata ''Cunninghamella septata'' is a species of fungus in the family Cunninghamellaceae. It was described as new to science by mycologist Ru-Yong Zheng in 2001. Colonies of ''C. septata'' are low and flat, not greater than 1 mm high. Growth ...

'' R.Y.Zheng 2001 *''

Cunninghamella vesiculosa Cunninghamella is a genus of fungi in the order Mucorales, and the family Cunninghamellaceae. The genus was circumscribed by French mycologist Alphonse Louis Paul Matruchot in Ann. Mycol. Vol.1 on page 47 in 1903. The genus name of ''Cunningh ...

'' P.C.Misra 1966

Uses

Members of this genus are often used in studies investigating the metabolism of drugs, because these species metabolize a wide range of drugs in manners similar to mammalian enzyme systems. Many species are also capable of oxidizing

polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon A polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) is a class of organic compounds that is composed of multiple aromatic rings. The simplest representative is naphthalene, having two aromatic rings and the three-ring compounds anthracene and phenanthrene. ...

s, a class of stable organic molecules that tends to persist in the environment and contains many known

carcinogen A carcinogen is any substance, radionuclide, or radiation that promotes carcinogenesis (the formation of cancer). This may be due to the ability to damage the genome or to the disruption of cellular metabolic processes. Several radioactive subst ...

ic and

mutagen In genetics, a mutagen is a physical or chemical agent that permanently changes genetic material, usually DNA, in an organism and thus increases the frequency of mutations above the natural background level. As many mutations can cause cancer i ...

ic compounds. The presence of a

cytochrome P450 Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are a superfamily of enzymes containing heme as a cofactor that functions as monooxygenases. In mammals, these proteins oxidize steroids, fatty acids, and xenobiotics, and are important for the clearance of various compo ...

has been demonstrated in ''C. bainieri''.Aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity in the fungus ''Cunninghamella bainieri'': Evidence for the presence of cytochrome P-450. J.P. Ferris, L.H. MacDonald, M.A. Patrie and M.A. Martin, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Volume 175, Issue 2, August 1976, pages 443-452,

References

Cunninghamellaceae Zygomycota genera {{Zygomycota-stub