The phallotoxins consist of at least seven compounds, all of which are bicyclic
heptapeptides (seven amino acids), isolated from the death cap mushroom ''(
Amanita phalloides)''. They differ from the closely related
amatoxins by being one residue smaller, both in the final product and the precursor protein.
Phalloidin had been isolated in 1937 by
Feodor Lynen,
Heinrich Wieland's student and son-in-law, and Ulrich Wieland of the
University of Munich. The remaining six are
prophalloin,
phalloin,
phallisin,
phallacidin,
phallacin and
phallisacin. Though highly toxic to liver cells, phallotoxins have since been found to have little contribution to the death cap's toxicity because they are not absorbed through the gut. Reports of phalloidin in the edible (and sought after)
Blusher
The blusher is the common name for several closely related species of the genus ''Amanita''. ''A. rubescens'' (the blushing amanita) is found in Eurasia and ''A. novinupta'' (the new bride blushing amanita or blushing bride) is found ...
(''Amanita rubescens'')
have not been confirmed by later researchers
[Hallen HE, Adams GC, Eicker A (2002) Amatoxins and phallotoxins in indigenous and introduced South African Amanita species. South African Journal of Botany 68:322-326.]
Chemical structures
Image:Skeletal formula of phalloidin.svg, Phalloidin
Image:prophalloin.png, Prophalloin
Image:phalloin.png, Phalloin
Image:phallisin.png, Phallisin
Image:phallacidin.png, Phallacidin
Image:phallacin.png, Phallacin
Image:phallisacin.png, Phallisacin
References
{{Poisonous Amanitas
Mycotoxins found in Basidiomycota
N-Acyltryptamines
Cyclic peptides