Detection and Isolation of Epichloë Species, Fungal Endophytes of Grasses.

Epichloë species (including former Neotyphodium species) are endophytic fungi that significantly affect fitness of cool-season grass hosts, potentially by increasing nutrient uptake and resistance to drought, parasitism and herbivory. Epichloë species are obligately biotrophic, living in the intercellular spaces of their plant hosts, and spreading systemically throughout host aerial tissues. The reproduction of Epichloë species is versatile; some strains have both sexual and asexual modes of reproduction, but others are restricted to one or the other mode.

Plant-symbiotic fungi as chemical engineers: multi-genome analysis of the clavicipitaceae reveals dynamics of alkaloid loci.

The fungal family Clavicipitaceae includes plant symbionts and parasites that produce several psychoactive and bioprotective alkaloids. The family includes grass symbionts in the epichloae clade (Epichloë and Neotyphodium species), which are extraordinarily diverse both in their host interactions and in their alkaloid profiles. Epichloae produce alkaloids of four distinct classes, all of which deter insects, and some-including the infamous ergot alkaloids-have potent effects on mammals.