Interrelationships in trace-element metabolism in metal toxicities in nickel-resistant strains of Neurospora crassa.

Three different Ni2+-resistant strains of Neurospora crassa (NiR1, NiR2 and NiR3) have been isolated. All are stable mutants and are fourfold more resistant to Ni2+ than the parent wild-type strain. NiR1 and NiR2 are also sixfold more resistant to Co2+, whereas NiR3 is only twice as resistant to Co2+; the former two are also twofold more resistant to Zn2+, but NiR3 is not. These three strains also differ in sensitivity to Cu2+. Toxicities and concomitant accumulation patterns of Ni2+, Co2+ and Cu2+ have been examined in these strains. NiR1 and NiR2, despite quantitative individual differences, generally accumulate very high amounts of Ni2+ and Co2+, and Mg2+ reverses the toxicities of these two ions by different mechanisms; Ni2+ uptake is suppressed, but not that of Co2+. In NiR3, Mg2+ controls uptake of both Ni2+ and Co2+. Studies indicate that two kinds of Ni2+-resistant strains of N. crassa exist; one kind is resistant because it can tolerate high intracellular concentrations of heavy-metal ions, whereas the other is resistant because it can control metal-ion accumulation.     

Studies on polyol metabolism in Aspergillus niger

Summary Sorbitol dehydrogenase has been purified about 26 fold from a strain of Aspergillus niger, growing on sorbitol as the sole source of carbon. An absolute specificity of this enzyme for sorbitol, fructose, NAD and NADH was observed. The K _m for sorbitol and fructose were found to be 9.8x10^-5 M and 6.6x10^-4 M respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by pCMB, NaF and other metal ions studied. The enzyme was slightly activated by Fe⁺⁺⁺.Part of this work was presented at the All India Conference of Microbiologists held at Baroda, 1968/69.     

Studies on gluconate metabolism in Aspergillus niger

Summary A citric acid accumulating strain of Aspergillus niger adapted to grow on gluconic acid lactone as sole carbon source was studied with regards to the enzymatic changes occurring during its adaptive growth and compared with those of the parent strain cultivated on sucrose.Glucose oxidase, glucose dehydrogenase, gluconate dehydrogenase and enzymes of Entner Doudoroff pathway could not be detected in the strain. Gluconokinase was detected in the strain and its inducible nature was established. An adaptive increase of gluconokinase, phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and ribose phosphate isomerase was observed. While the levels of the above enzymes were significantly higher, that of glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were significantly low indicating the repression of the enzyme. Levels of hexokinase and fructose diphosphate aldolase remained more or less the same as that of parent strain. It was inferred from the results that gluconate metabolism occurs via the pentose phosphate pathway following initial phosphorylation.Part of this work was presented at the 8th Annual Microbiological Congress of Association of Microbiologists of India, held in New Delhi 1967.     

Interrelationships in trace-element metabolism in metal toxicities in a cobalt-resistant strain of Neurospora crassa

A strain of Neurospora crassa was isolated by training the mould to grow on media containing high concentrations of Co(2+). This strain, the Co(R) strain, exhibited approximately tenfold the resistance of the parent strain to Co(2+) and Ni(2+) but not to Zn(2+) or Cu(2+). Co(2+) toxicity in the Co(R) strain was reversed by Mg(2+) but not by Fe(3+). Also, Co(2+) did not affect iron metabolism in this strain. It is suggested that the mechanism of resistance in the Co(R) strain involves an alteration in the pattern of iron metabolism such that the latter is no longer adversely affected by toxic concentrations of Co(2+). The Co(R) strain is genetically stable and is most probably a result of a resistance mutation in N. crassa induced by Co(2+).     

Genetic analysis of benzoate metabolism in Aspergillus niger

Summary The benzoate metabolism of Aspergillus niger was studied as part of a design to clone the benzoate-4-hydroxylase gene of this fungus on the basis of complementation. Filtration enrichment techniques yielded mutants defective for different steps of benzoate degradation: bph (benzoate-4-hydroxylase), phh (4-hydroxybenzoate-3-hydroxylase) and prc (protocatechuate ring cleavage) mutants. In this way the degradation pathway for benzoate, involving the formation of 4-hydroxybenzoate and 3,4-dihydroxybenzoate has been confirmed. In addition a mutant sensitive to benzoate has been found. Complementation tests in somatic diploids showed that the bph mutants belonged to two complementation groups. The major group is probably defective in the structural gene (bphA). All phh mutants tested belonged to one complementation group. The prc mutants could be divided into several groups on the basis of their growth on different aromatic substrates and on the basis of the complementation test. The phh and both bph mutations are shown to be located on different chromosomes.Offprint requests to: C. J. Bos     

Recombinant bacterial hemoglobin alters metabolism of Aspergillus niger

The filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger is used extensively for the production of enzymes and organic acids. A major problem in industrial fermentations with this fungus is to ensure sufficient supply of oxygen required for respiratory metabolism of the fungus. In case of oxygen limitation, the fungus will produce various by-products like organic acids and polyols. In order to circumvent this problem we here study the effects of the expression of a bacterial hemoglobin protein on the metabolism of A. niger. We integrated the vgb gene from Vitreoscilla sp. into the genome at the pyrA locus behind the strong gpdA promoter from Aspergillus nidulans. Analysis of secreted metabolites, oxygen uptake, CO(2) evolution and biomass formation points towards a relief of stress in the mutant expressing VHB when it is exposed to oxygen limitation. Our findings therefore point to an interesting strategy to attenuate unwanted side effects resulting from oxygen limitation during industrial fermentations with A. niger.     

Lipid metabolism in Aspergillus niger under conditions of heat shock

The processes of lipid synthesis and decomposition in Aspergillus niger under conditions of heat shock (HS) were studied in a pulse-chase experiment with ¹⁴C-labeled sodium acetate. HS (60 min) resulted in the synthesis of phospholipids and sphingolipids intensified compared to the control, as was evident from incorporation of the labeled substrate. The same pattern was observed for neutral lipids, especially for triacylglycerides, while incorporation of the label into sterols remained almost the same. Further cultivation for 3 h in the medium without the labeled substrate resulted in a significant decrease of the label content in the membrane lipids of both the control and the experiment, although under HS conditions this decrease was much more pronounced, especially for phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines. A threefold increase of the label content in phosphatidic acids was observed only under HS conditions. These results indicate more intense metabolism of the membrane lipids under heat shock and suggest the degradation of the major cell phospholipids as the factor responsible for the increased level of phosphatidic acids in A. niger mycelium.     

Physiological characterization of xylose metabolism in Aspergillus niger under oxygen-limited conditions

The physiology of Aspergillus niger was studied under different aeration conditions. Five different aeration rates were investigated in batch cultivations of A. niger grown on xylose. Biomass, intra- and extra-cellular metabolites profiles were determined and ten different enzyme activities in the central carbon metabolism were assessed. The focus was on organic acid production with a special interest in succinate production. The fermentations revealed that oxygen limitation significantly changes the physiology of the micro-organism. Changes in extra cellular metabolite profiles were observed, that is, there was a drastic increase in polyol production (erythritol, xylitol, glycerol, arabitol, and mannitol) and to a lesser extent in the production of reduced acids (malate and succinate). The intracellular metabolite profiles indicated changes in fluxes, since several primary metabolites, like the intermediates of the TCA cycle accumulated during oxygen limitation (on average three fold increase). Also the enzyme activities showed changes between the exponential growth phase and the oxygen limitation phase. In general, the oxygen availability has a significant impact on the physiology of this fungus causing dramatic alterations in the central carbon metabolism that should be taken into account in the design of A. niger as a succinate cell factory.     

Reconstruction of the central carbon metabolism of Aspergillus niger.

The topology of central carbon metabolism of Aspergillus niger was identified and the metabolic network reconstructed, by integrating genomic, biochemical and physiological information available for this microorganism and other related fungi. The reconstructed network may serve as a valuable database for annotation of genes identified in future genome sequencing projects on aspergilli. Based on the metabolic reconstruction, a stoichiometric model was set up that includes 284 metabolites and 335 reactions, of which 268 represent biochemical conversions and 67 represent transport processes between the different intracellular compartments and between the cell and the extracellular medium. The stoichiometry of the metabolic reactions was used in combination with biosynthetic requirements for growth and pseudo-steady state mass balances over intracellular metabolites for the quantification of metabolic fluxes using metabolite balancing. This framework was employed to perform an in silico characterisation of the phenotypic behaviour of A. niger grown on different carbon sources. The effects on growth of single reaction deletions were assessed and essential biochemical reactions were identified for different carbon sources. Furthermore, application of the stoichiometric model for assessing the metabolic capabilities of A. niger to produce metabolites was evaluated by using succinate production as a case study.     

Glucoamylase of Aspergillus niger

Aspergillus niger produces two extracellular glucoamylases (GAI of Mr 85 300 and GAII of Mr 77 600) separable on DEAE-cellulose. The enzymes differes in electrophoretic mobility, thermostability and substrate specificity. The GAI/GAII ratio depends on the concentration and form of nitrogen (nitrate or ammonium) in the culture medium. Proteinase VIII from Bacillus subtilis converts GAI to a form showing properties similar to those of GAII. Possible proteolytic degradation of GAI to GAII by Asp. niger endogenous proteinase(s) is suggested.     

Rassenumwandlung bei Aspergillus niger

Zusammenfassung Es wurde versucht, zwei physiologisch durch die Oxalsäurebildung und die dadurch beeinflußte Richtung der Autolyse verschiedene Rassen von Aspergillus niger ineinander überzuführen. Dies gelang durch Einwirkung von Trocknen bzw. Erhitzen der Sporen und durch Passage über Tannin- und Oxalsäurelösung.Der Übergang der Rasse Göttingen neu (viel Oxalsäure, saure, helle Autolyse) in die Rasse Göttingen alt (wenig Oxalsäure, neutrale bzw. alkalische, dunkle Autolyse) ging bedeutend leichter als umgekehrt.Durch Oxalsäurepassage wird die Rasse Göttingen alt stärker in der Richtung der sauren, die Rasse Göttingen neu stärker in der Richtung der neutralen Autolyse beeinflußt.Die jeweiligen Veränderungen erwiesen sich drei bis acht Generationen, soweit untersucht, konstant.Mit Hilfe ähnlicher Methoden dürften die Veränderungen bei diesem Pilz der experimentellen Analyse zugänglich werden.Kurzer Auszug aus der Dissertation von Paul Hugo Kreutzmann, Untersuchungen über die Variabilität von Aspergillus niger. Göttingen 1935.