SIM-GC-MS analysis of biochemical evolution in Amanita genus

TL;DR: Two species of Amanita genus were studied in order to determine the biochemical hall-mark at nanoscale for these basidiomycete's species, and it was observed that in case of A. phalloides the alkaloid content were higher usually with almost 50 % than in A. rubescens.

Abstract: Amanita is one of the most well known basidiomycetes genus throughout the world because some of its species that are acknowledged due to their toxic and/or hallucinogenic properties. Considering these properties in the last decades become more important for scientist to dignify exactly the chemical content of these mushroom species. Latter researches shown that A. phalloides contain two main groups of toxins: the amatoxins and the phallotoxins. As regards A. rubescens there are not so much studies referring to its biochemical "fingerprint". Two species (A. rubescens and A. phalloides) of Amanita genus were studied in order to determine the biochemical hall-mark at nanoscale for these basidiomycete's species. Parts as caps, gills, flesh and stem of these mushrooms were analyzed on quadrupole mass spectrometer engaged with a gas chromatograph (GC-qMS) using selective ion monitoring mode (SIM). The biochemical profiles of these species had shown the presence of compounds like fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), alkaloids, and volatile compounds (including alcohol compounds, carbonyl compounds, terpenes). The levels of biochemical compounds from these species were compared between the two types of species and also between young, mature and old samples for the same species as well as between the parts of mushroom. After this comparison were between the two species it was observed that in case of A. phalloides the alkaloid content were higher usually with almost 50 %. As regards presence of volatile compounds they have almost similar level in both mushroom species. Considering the levels of fatty acid methyl esters, their levels were higher with 30 - 40 % in case of A. rubescens.