Bacteriocidal properties of a class of quinoid compounds related to sporulation in the mushroom, Agaricus bisporus.

A small phenolic compound, gamma-L-glutamyl-4-hydroxybenzene, and several quinoid derivatives appear in the gill tissues of the mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, during the prodromal period of sporulation. These quinoids markedly inhibit respiratory enzymes and protein synthesis. The temporal relationship of their appearance to sporulaton and their properties as metabolic inhibitors indicate that they initiate and maintain the dormant or cryptobiotic state of the spore. In very low concentrations, these quinoids show significant bacteriocidal action against a variety of microorganisms. The therapeutic potential of these antibiotic properties is considered.