Physiology and biochemistry of myxomycetes

Didymium arenosum, a myxomycete new to science from the confluence of deserts in northwestern China

“…Myxomycetes are a protist group belonging to the Eumycetozoa ( Kang et al, 2017 ; Hehmeyer, 2019 ). They have played a crucial ecological role in terrestrial habitats and some of those metabolites have also been demonstrated to exhibit antitumor activity, antibacterial activity, and antioxidant activity ( Keller & Everhart, 2010 ; Li et al, 2022 ; Wang, Li & Liu, 2022 ). Populations of these organisms are primarily regulated by food-related feeding practices, contributing to the maintenance of species diversity within their biosphere ( Foissner & Hawksworth, 2009 ; Stephenson, Laursen & Seppelt, 2007 ).…”

Fuligopyrones from the Fruiting Bodies of Myxomycete Fuligo septica Offer Short-Term Protection from Abiotic Stress Induced by UV Radiation

“…Myxomycetes is a class of over 800 species of plasmodial slime molds that can form fruiting bodies (aethalia), although only under ideal conditions . The sporadic availability, low biomass, and poor culturability of myxomycetes have unsurprisingly resulted in a largely incomplete description of the secondary metabolite profile for most species, with fewer than 200 metabolites having been reported to date, − including several with antibacterial activity …”

“…10 The aethalium of F. septica is initially bright yellow, but this color fades throughout the day before the aethalium disassociates as a spore mass to complete the life cycle. 4,11 F. septica has received sporadic chemical investigations, with the structure of the first yellow pigment fuligorubin A (3) being reported in 1987. 12 The absolute configuration of 3 was later confirmed by total synthesis.…”

“…It also produces a considerable amount of amorphous calcium carbonate and has melanin-containing spores that were shown to survive a balloon journey into the stratosphere . The aethalium of F. septica is initially bright yellow, but this color fades throughout the day before the aethalium disassociates as a spore mass to complete the life cycle. , …”