Molecular Identification of Ophiocordyceps sinensis Genotypes and the Indiscriminate Use of the Latin Name for Multiple Genotypes and the Natural Insect-fungi Complex

Differential coexistence of multiple genotypes of Ophiocordyceps sinensis in the stromata, ascocarps and ascospores of natural Cordyceps sinensis

“…Modern pharmacological studies have validated the therapeutic profile and lifespan-extending properties of natural C. sinensis and its mycelial fermentation products [2][3][4][5][6]. The Chinese Pharmacopeia defines natural C. sinensis as an insect-fungal complex consisting of the fruiting body of Ophiocordyceps sinensis and the remains of Hepialidae moth larva, i.e., natural C. sinensis ≠ O. sinensis fungus [7][8][9][10][11][12]. Studies have reported that the caterpillar body of C. sinensis contains an intact larval intestine, an intact and thick larval body wall with numerous bristles, head tissues, and fragments of other larval tissues [8][9][10][11][12].…”

“…The Chinese Pharmacopeia defines natural C. sinensis as an insect-fungal complex consisting of the fruiting body of Ophiocordyceps sinensis and the remains of Hepialidae moth larva, i.e., natural C. sinensis ≠ O. sinensis fungus [7][8][9][10][11][12]. Studies have reported that the caterpillar body of C. sinensis contains an intact larval intestine, an intact and thick larval body wall with numerous bristles, head tissues, and fragments of other larval tissues [8][9][10][11][12]. The controversy surrounding the indiscriminate use of Latin names (Cordyceps sinensis and Ophiocordyceps sinensis since 2007) for the natural insect-fungal complex and multiple anamorphic-teleomorphic fungi has been addressed both in Chinese and English [7][8][9][10][11][12].…”

“…Studies have reported that the caterpillar body of C. sinensis contains an intact larval intestine, an intact and thick larval body wall with numerous bristles, head tissues, and fragments of other larval tissues [8][9][10][11][12]. The controversy surrounding the indiscriminate use of Latin names (Cordyceps sinensis and Ophiocordyceps sinensis since 2007) for the natural insect-fungal complex and multiple anamorphic-teleomorphic fungi has been addressed both in Chinese and English [7][8][9][10][11][12]. In this paper, we temporarily refer to the fungus/fungi as O. sinensis and continue the customary use of the name C. sinensis for the wild or cultivated insect-fungal complex, although this practice will likely be replaced by the discriminative use of exclusive Latin names in the future.…”

“…Natural C. sinensis grows only in alpine areas at altitudes above 3,000-3,500 m on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and has a complex lifecycle [2,[12][13][14]. Its maturation stages, which have been used as a market standard for grading the quality of natural C. sinensis, greatly impact its mycobiota profile, metagenomic polymorphism, metatranscriptomic and proteomic expression, chemical constituent fingerprint, competitive proliferation of Hirsutella sinensis-like fungi, and therapeutic efficacy and potency as a natural therapeutic agent [7][8][9][10]12,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28].…”

“…Natural C. sinensis grows only in alpine areas at altitudes above 3,000-3,500 m on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and has a complex lifecycle [2,[12][13][14]. Its maturation stages, which have been used as a market standard for grading the quality of natural C. sinensis, greatly impact its mycobiota profile, metagenomic polymorphism, metatranscriptomic and proteomic expression, chemical constituent fingerprint, competitive proliferation of Hirsutella sinensis-like fungi, and therapeutic efficacy and potency as a natural therapeutic agent [7][8][9][10]12,[14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28]. Mycologists have identified 22 species from 13 fungal genera in this insect-fungal complex [29], and culture-independent molecular methodologies have identified >90 fungal species spanning more than 37 genera and 12 genotypes of O. sinensis and demonstrated the predominance of different fungi and metagenomic fungal diversity in the stroma and caterpillar body of natural and cultivated C. sinensis [9,[15][16]18,24,[27][28][29][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]…”