Secondary Metabolites as Consistent Criteria in Penicillium Taxonomy and a Synoptic Key to Penicillium Subgenus Penicillium

Abstract

373 As taxonomic characters in Penicillium, morphology and profiles of secondary metabolites have proved to be consistent and reproducible, provided they are recorded in a standardized and systematic way. Techniques for standardising profiles of secondary metabolites include the use of griseofulvin and preferably other commercially available secondary metabolites, and the use of standardised media, inoculation and incubation conditions and extraction techniques. Confirmation of results obtained using thin layer chromatography is strongly recommended, for example by high performance liquid chromatography and diode array detection, especially when new or usual results are found. Examples of consistent production of secondary metabolites in known culture collection strains of important Penicillium species are provided in this paper. A synoptic key to Penicillium subgen. PeniCl1lium, based on secondary metabolites, is also given.