Linking Psilocybin Biosynthesis to Antimicrobial and Larvicidal Activity in Psilocybe cubensis
Schanno, August
Schanno, August
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Abstract
Psilocybe cubensis is a coprophilic fungus that produces the hallucinogenic compound psilocin through its prodrug psilocybin. Psilocybin biosynthesis is centered around a co-localized cluster of four Psi genes, which convert tryptophan into psilocybin. During biosynthesis, tryptophan synthesizing genes are upregulated. Hypothetical protein JR316_0000110 has been proposed as a potential regulator for amino acid biosynthesis in P. cubensis. To test this, a CRISPR-mediated knockout is proposed, followed by quantification of psilocybin content in mature carpophores, to determine if the absence of gene expression correlates to decreased psilocybin concentration, suggesting a regulatory role in amino acid biosynthesis. Psilocybin has been hypothesized to function as an antimicrobial/larvicidal agent, potentially increasing competitiveness in its fecal habitat. Previous work by Dhanasekaran et al. (2020) demonstrated that crude extracts of P. cubensis exhhibit antimicrobial and larvicidal activity on mosquito larvae. This study compares larvicidal and antimicrobial activity of three extract types from P. cubensis: (1) crude extract from fruiting bodies, (2) psilocybin-enriched extract, and (3) extract from a JR316_0000110 knockout strain. An extract of Gymnopilus luteus, which contains lower psilocybin concentration (~0.12% vs. ~0.6% in P. cubensis), will also be used to test correlation between psilocybin content and activity. To assess antimicrobial activity, colonies of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria will be treated with each extract using an agar diffusion assay. The zone of inhibition of growth in treated cultures will be determined. Amoxicillin will be used as a positive control. To assess larvicidal activity, black soldier fly larvae will be treated with each extract, with percent mortality after 48 hours as the metric for larvicidal activity. Liquid Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis will be used as a positive control. �This poster describes an imagined project developed as an assignment in PBIO 3990-E, Advanced Mycology Lab (Terry Delaney, instructor)
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Date
1/1/2026
Student Status
Senior (Graduating in 2026)
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Poster
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Plant Biology
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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Life Science