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Penicillium is a genus of ascomycete fungi that reproduces exclusively through asexual means. Species within this genus are used in the production of blue cheeses, such as Camembert, Roquefort and Gorgonzola. In 1928, an open window in Alexander Fleming's lab allowed Penicillium spores to contaminate Petri dishes containing bacterial cultures. The bacteria near the mold began to die, leading to the discovery of penicillin, an antibiotic that inhibits bacterial cell wall formation. This breakthrough paved the way for other antibiotics derived from microorganisms. ## Keywords Fungi Ascomycota Eurotiomycetes Eurotiales Trichocomaceae Penicillium
