In general, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus oryzae are used as main microorganisms in sake brewing, because these microbes have potent ability producing alcohol dehydrogenase and amylase, respectively. Recently, we discovered that some genera of mushroom produce both alcohol dehydrogenase and amylase. We tried to make sake using a mushroom in place of two microorganisms, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus oryzae. The highest alcohol concentration in the sake was achieved by Agaricus blazei (1,736 raM, 8.0%). This sake contained about 0.03% β-D-glucan, which is known to have preventive effects on cancer. The sake made using Tricholoma matsutake demonstrated a thrombosis preventing activity: prolong thrombin clotting time in 2.2 times that of the control. Thus, sake made from mushrooms seems to be healthy type of alcoholic beverage.

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Extracellular amylase productions during the vegetative mycelial growth from Tricholoma matsutake, an ectomycorrhizal fungus, in a partly modified matsutake liquid medium were examined. The amylase activities in the culture filtrate (α-and gluco-amylase) were detected to have relatively high values at 40 days after inoculation, and the activities reached a maximum activity at 80 days after inoculation. α-Amylase showed higher activity than glucoamylase in each strain. Using several kinds of starches purified from barley (5 kinds), corn, sweet potato and potato as the substrates, amylase activities in the culture filtrate (60 days after inoculation) of T. matsutake were assayed. As the results, the enzyme showed the highest activity toward the starch prepared from "Amagi" and "Ichibanboshi" strain in the 「nonwa xy」 group of barley of all the starches. These activities were obtained with about a 2.0-fold higher value than in the control (potato). Therefore, the addition of potato and yam to the culture medium increased the dry weight of the mycelia 4.8〜5.6 times compared to the control (without addition), and increased the value of amylase activity 1.9〜2.6 times compared to the control. The positive correlation of the vegetative mycelial growth with amylase activity was detected.

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Thrombosis is one of the major causes of death in Japan and the western world. The screening of inhibitory agents for thrombin which correspond to the formation of fibrin, is now desirable. In this study, anti-thrombin substance was discovered from a culture broth of a basidiomycetes Laetiporus sulphureus. The clotting time for thrombin in the culture broth fromL. sulphureus was more than 44 times that of the control (2% malt extract medium), whereas the culture broths of all other strains exhibited lower anti-coagulative activity. Using a tissue culture bottle, a fruit body of large size was formed on a liquid culture medium. When L. sulphureus was incubated aerobically in 2% malt extract medium at 25℃, the production of the antithrombin substance began after 5 to 6 days of incubation. Accumulation of the antithrombin substance reached a peak after 14 to 20 days of incubation and then decreased.

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