PENICILLIUM Meaning and
Definition
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Penicillium is a genus of filamentous fungi that belongs to the family Aspergillaceae. It is commonly found in environments such as soil, decaying organic matter, and various food products. The name "penicillium" is derived from the Latin word "penicillus," meaning brush or paintbrush, which describes the brush-like appearance of the fungal spore-forming structures known as conidiophores.
The fungi belonging to the Penicillium genus are characterized by their ability to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites, including antibiotics such as penicillin, which revolutionized the field of medicine. While some species of Penicillium are beneficial and used in the production of various types of cheese and other fermented foods, others can be harmful and cause spoilage of food products.
Penicillium colonies typically exhibit a velvety texture and come in various colors, including shades of green, blue, or white. These fungi have a complex life cycle, starting from spore germination and filamentous growth, followed by asexual reproduction through the production of conidia. Sexual reproduction occurs in some species, involving the formation of ascospores within specialized structures called ascomata.
Some species of Penicillium can produce mycotoxins, which are toxic compounds that can contaminate food and animal feed, potentially leading to health hazards in humans and animals. Therefore, effective measures should be taken to prevent the growth and spread of harmful Penicillium species in food processing and storage facilities.
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A genus of moulds or saprophytic fungi.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for PENICILLIUM
- oenicillium
- lenicillium
- -enicillium
- 0enicillium
- pwnicillium
- psnicillium
- pdnicillium
- prnicillium
- p4nicillium
- p3nicillium
- pebicillium
- pemicillium
- pejicillium
- pehicillium
- penucillium
- penjcillium
- penkcillium
- penocillium
- pen9cillium
Etymology of PENICILLIUM
The word "penicillium" comes from the Latin term "penicillus", which means "brush" or "paintbrush". This is because the fungi in the Penicillium genus produce spore-bearing structures that resemble brushes or paintbrushes. The term was first coined by the Scottish biologist and pharmacologist Alexander Fleming, who discovered the antibiotic properties of Penicillium mold in 1928.
Similar spelling words for PENICILLIUM
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