Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) hay is an important source of forage for a variety of livestock species, and is most common in cool, coastal climates such as the Pacific Northwest. An endophyte fungus called Neotyphodium lolii frequently colonizes this grass to promote insect resistance, drought tolerance, and growth enhancement without...
Perennial ryegrass (PRG, Lolium perenne) is a hardy cool-season grass that is infected with the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium lolii, which enables the plant to be insect repellant and drought resistant, lowering the use of insecticides and fertilizers. However, this fungus produces the compound lolitrem B (LB, m/z 686.4) which causes...
“Perennial ryegrass staggers” is a neurological condition characterized by muscular tremors and ataxia in livestock that ingest the indole diterpene lolitrem B from endophyte-infected perennial ryegrass. While the neurotoxic mechanism of action of ryegrass staggers has been defined, little is known about metabolic and other molecular processes that lolitrem B...
In the majority of management scenarios, it is imperative that beef replacement heifers calve at two years of age. In order to achieve this goal, yearling heifers should reach 60 to 65% of their mature body weight by 13 months of age. Feed costs represent 75 to 80% of the...
Ergovaline is an ergot alkaloid produced by the symbiotic endophyte Epichloë coenophiala which can colonize varieties of the cool-season grass tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). It is the principle toxicant responsible for the vasoconstrictive and reproductive sequelae seen in “fescue toxicosis” in livestock which consume forage exceeding the threshold of toxicity...
Cyclic nitramines are a class of compounds that include most of the commonly used explosives today. These are among the most common toxicants released into the environment as a result of human activity, generated on military ranges, battlefields, and production sites. Of these, hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5- triazine (RDX) is of particular interest,...
Mycotoxins are food-borne toxins produced by molds which are commonly found on animal feeds of economic significance. Toxic doses of these compounds vary widely across livestock species, and even within a species when considered across all stages of development and production. This variation is due to the wide range of...
An increased understanding of secondary metabolism in fungi is important for both biological and societal reasons. The ascomycete genus, Tolypocladium, is an ideal system to explore secondary metabolism characterization, ecology, evolution and regulation. The genus produces and has the genomic potential to produce a wide array of metabolites. Paired with...