Morphological and rheological properties of the three different species of basidiomycetes Phellinus in submerged cultures

AIMS: The objective of this work was to investigate the morphological and rheological properties in submerged culture of the three different basidiomycetes Phellinus (P. baumii, P. gilvus and P. linteus) that produce pharmacologically important exopolysaccharides (EPS). METHODS AND RESULTS: In flask cultures, pH proved to be a critical factor affecting mycelial growth, morphological change and EPS production. The macroscopic morphologies observed under different pHs in flask cultures were also comparable: i.e. starfish-like pellets with a lesser extent of free mycelium appeared in P. baumii, whereas smooth pellets with higher amounts of free mycelium were observed in P. gilvus and P. linteus. The pelleted fermentations were further characterized in a 5-l stirred-tank fermenter by image analysis with respect to mean diameter, core area and pellet circularity. Phellinus baumii showed the largest pellet size (5.2 mm in diameter), whereas P. linteus had extremely small and spherical pellets. The culture broth of P. baumii and P. gilvus yielded extremely high apparent viscosities, ranging from 5 to 7 Pa s. CONCLUSIONS: Three important species of Phellinus showed significantly different morphological and rheological properties. The morphological variation of the three Phellinus species was closely linked to EPS productivity and the apparent viscosity of the whole broth. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The morphological change in the three species of Phellinus was a good indicator for identifying cell activity for EPS production. Our finding may be beneficial for further optimization of other fungal fermentation processes for large-scale production of EPS.     

Investigations of oxygen transfer into Penicillium chrysogenum pellets by microprobe measurements

A microcoaxial needle sensor with a tip diameter of ca. 0.7 mum was used as a microprobe to measure profiles of dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) within fixed pellets of Penicillium chrysogenum as a function of the DOT level around the pellet, in the presence and absence of bulk convective flow and turbulence. The investigations indicate that the oxygen transfer mechanism is complex. The results were interpreted by assuming the penetration convective flow into the entire pellet and penetration of turbulence into the outer range. A model was developed which was able to describe the measured DOT profiles very well. The model takes into account molecular and turbulent diffusion as well as convective flow as transfer mechanisms inside of the pellet. Structures of pellets used for microprobe measurements were evaluated by histological investigations. Considerable variations of mycelial density with radius within the pellets were found.     

膜过滤细胞直接计数新方法

介绍了两种膜过滤细胞直接计数新方法,即不透明滤膜的金相显微镜细胞直接计数法和透明滤膜的生物显微镜细胞直接计数法的基本原理、仪器设备、分析和计算方法,并且将此方法与荧光显微镜细菌计数、血球计数板等方法进行了比较。实际计数结果表明,两种膜过滤细胞直接计数法配合了独特的酸碱处理法以分散聚团细胞,用于非环境样品细胞浓度的测定具有快速准确简便的特点。此外,该方法基本不受细胞大小的影响,除了适用于体型较大的藻类、酵母菌的快速计数以外,还可以清晰地分辨诸如光合细菌这样体积较小的细菌。     

A fractal model for the characterization of mycelial morphology

A new technique based on a fractal model has been developed for the quantification of the macroscopic morophology of mycelia. The morphological structuring is treated as a fractal object, and the fractal dimension, determined by an ultrasonic scattering procedure developed for the purpose, serves as a quantitative morphological index. Experimental observations reported earlier and simulations of mycelial growth, carried out using a probabilistic-geometric growth model developed for the purpose, both validate the applicability of the fractal model. In experiments with three different species, the fractal dimensions of pelletous structures were found to be in the range 1.45-2.0 and those of filamentous structures were in the range 1.9-2.7, with values around 2.0 representing mixed morphologies. Fractal dimensions calculated from simulated mycelia are in rough agreement with these ranges. The fractal dimension is also found to be relatively insensitive to the biomass concentration, as seen by dilution of the original broths. The relation between morphology and filtration properties of the broths has also been studied. The fractal dimension shows a strong correlation with the index of cake compressibility and with the Kozeny constant, two filtration parameters that are known to be morphology dependent. This technique could thus be used to develop correlations between the morphology, represented by the fractal dimension, and important morphology-dependent process variables. (c) 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Morphological changes induced by class III chitin synthase gene silencing could enhance penicillin production of Penicillium chrysogenum

Chitin synthases catalyze the formation of β-(1,4)-glycosidic bonds between N-acetylglucosamine residues to form the unbranched polysaccharide chitin, which is the major component of cell walls in most filamentous fungi. Several studies have shown that chitin synthases are structurally and functionally divergent and play crucial roles in the growth and morphogenesis of the genus Aspergillus although little research on this topic has been done in Penicillium chrysogenum. We used BLAST to find the genes encoding chitin synthases in P. chrysogenum related to chitin synthase genes in Aspergillus nidulans. Three homologous sequences coding for a class III chitin synthase CHS4 and two hypothetical proteins in P. chrysogenum were found. The gene which product showed the highest identity and encoded the class III chitin synthase CHS4 was studied in detail. To investigate the role of CHS4 in P. chrysogenum morphogenesis, we developed an RNA interference system to silence the class III chitin synthase gene chs4. After transformation, mutants exhibited a slow growth rate and shorter and more branched hyphae, which were distinct from those of the original strain. The results also showed that the conidiation efficiency of all transformants was reduced sharply and indicated that chs4 is essential in conidia development. The morphologies of all transformants and the original strain in penicillin production were investigated by light microscopy, which showed that changes in chs4 expression led to a completely different morphology during fermentation and eventually caused distinct penicillin yields, especially in the transformants PcRNAi1-17 and PcRNAi2-1 where penicillin production rose by 27 % and 41 %, respectively.     

Purification and properties of two type-B alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases produced by Penicillium chrysogenum

Two distinct extracellular alpha-L-arabinofuranosidases (AFases; EC 3.2.1.55) were purified from the culture filtrate of Penicillium chrysogenum 31B. The molecular masses of the enzymes were estimated to be 79 kDa (AFQ1) and 52 kDa (AFS1) by SDS-PAGE. Both enzymes had their highest activities at 50 degrees C and were stable up to 50 degrees C. Enzyme activities of AFQ1 and AFS1 were highest at pH 4.0 to 6.5 and pH 3.3 to 5.0, respectively. Addition of 10 mg/ml arabinose to the reaction mixture decreased the AFS1 activity but hardly affected AFQ1. Both enzymes displayed broad substrate specificities; they released arabinose from branched arabinan, debranched arabinan, arabinoxylan, arabinogalactan, and arabino-oligosaccharides. AFS1 also showed low activity towards p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xylopyranoside. An exo-arabinanase, which catalyzes the release of arabinobiose from linear arabinan at the nonreducing terminus, acted synergistically with both enzymes to produce L-arabinose from branched arabinan.     

Invertase Production by Penicillium chrysogenum and Other Fungi in Submerged Fermentation

A study was made of Penicillium chrysogenum and some other fungi to determine the relative distribution of intra- and extracellular invertase produced by them in submerged fermentation. The proportion of each type of enzyme varied with the organism and the period of fermentation. More of the enzyme initially bound to the mycelium was released into the medium with the progress of fermentation. Differences were observed in the effects of cultural conditions on enzyme production in P. chrysogenum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Considerably greater quantities of enzyme were produced by P. chrysogenum and the yeast in both laboratory and large-scale fermentors when sucrose was added continuously than when the same quantities of the sugar were added initially.     

Inhibition and repression of homocitrate synthase by lysine in Penicillium chrysogenum

Homocitrate synthase in the first enzyme of the lysine biosynthetic pathway. It is feedback regulated by L-lysine. Lysine decreases the biosynthesis of penicillin (determined by the incorporation of [14C]valine into penicillin) by inhibiting and repressing homocitrate synthase, thereby depriving the cell of alpha-aminoadipic acid, a precursor of penicillin. Lysine feedback inhibited in vivo the biosynthesis and excretion of homocitrate by a lysine auxotroph, L2, blocked in the lysine pathway after homocitrate. Neither penicillin nor 6-aminopenicillanic acid exerted any effect at the homocitrate synthase level. The molecular mechanism of lysine feedback regulation in Penicillium chrysogenum involved both inhibition of homocitrate synthase activity and repression of its synthesis. In vitro studies indicated that L-lysine feedback inhibits and represses homocitrate synthase both in low- and high-penicillin-producing strains. Inhibition of homocitrate synthase activity by lysine was observed in cells in which protein synthesis was arrested with cycloheximide. Maximum homocitrate synthase activity in cultures of P. chrysogenum AS-P-78 was found at 48 h, coinciding with the phase of high rate of penicillin biosynthesis.     

Active metabolites produced by Penicillium chrysogenum IFL1 growing on agro-industrial residues

Microbial extracts continue to be a productive source of new molecules with biotechnological importance. Fungi of the genus Penicillium are known to produce biologically active secondary metabolites. The goal of this work is verify the production of antimicrobial metabolites by Penicillium chrysogenum IFL1 using agro-industrial residues. P. chrysogenum IFL1 produced active metabolites growing on the agro-industrial residues, grape waste and cheese whey. The 7-day cultures showed antimicrobial activities against bacteria, fungi and amoebae. The filtrate of the cheese whey culture inhibited the growth of the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the fungus Fusarium oxysporum and the amoeba Acanthamoeba polyphaga. Due to the greater antimicrobial activity of the cheese whey culture, a footprinting profile was carried out using the ESI-MS and ESI-MS/MS techniques. The presence of penicillin G and other metabolites that have antimicrobial activity such as penicillin V and rugulosin can be suggested. P. chrysogenum IFL1 was able to produce a wide variety of antimicrobial compounds on agro-industrial residues, which makes the process ecologically friendly.     

Penicillin formation by biochemical mutants of Penicillium chrysogenum and their spontaneous revertants

The capacity for the antibiotic production in the auxotrophs of Penicillium chrysogenum with various deficiency and their revertants was studied. It was found that the capacity for penicillin synthesis was impaired to various degrees in the majority of the auxotrophs. Variants with the penicillin production levels by 13--20 per cent higher than those in the initial prototrophic strain were isolated for the first time in selection of the eukaryotes with the method of obtaining highly active revertants from auxotrophs according to the scheme "prototroph-auxotroph-prototroph".     

Optimization of submerged culture process for the production of mycelial biomass and exo-polysaccharides by Cordyceps militaris C738

AIMS: The objective of the present study was to determine the optimal culture conditions for mycelial biomass and exo-polysaccharide (EPS) by Cordyceps militaris C738 in submerged culture. METHODS AND RESULTS: The optimal temperatures for mycelial biomass and EPS production were 20 degrees C and 25 degrees C, respectively, and corresponding optimal initial pHs were found to be 9 and 6, respectively. The suggested medium composition for EPS production was as follows: 6% (w/v) sucrose, 1% (w/v) polypeptone, and 0.05% (w/v) K2HPO4. The influence of pH on the fermentation broth rheology, morphology and EPS production of C. militaris C738 was carried out in a 5-l stirred-tank fermenter. The morphological properties were comparatively characterized by pellet roughness and compactness by use of image analyser between the culture conditions with and without pH control. The roughness and compactness of the pellets indicated higher values at pH-stat culture (pH 6.0), suggesting that larger and more compact pellets were desirable for polysaccharide production (0.91 g g(-1) cell d(-1). CONCLUSIONS: Under the optimized culture conditions (with pH control at 6), the maximum concentration of biomass and EPS were 12.7 g l(-1) and 7.3 g l(-1), respectively, in a 5-l stirred-tank fermenter. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The critical effect of pH on fungal morphology and rheology presented in this study can be widely applied to other mushroom fermentation processes.     

Mutagenic action of N-nitrosodimethylurea on Actinomyces rimosus and Penicillium chrysogenum]

High mutagenic activity of N-nitrozodimethylurea (NDMU), an agent of the group of the nitrozo compounds not studied in detail was shown with respect to prototrophic and auxotrophic strains of Actinomyces rimosus, an organism producing oxytetracycline and Penicillium chrysogenum, an organism producing penicillin. The rate of direct and back mutations in the auxotrophic strain of Act. rimosus under the effect of NDMU was many times higher than that of spontaneous mutations. NDMU was used at one of the selection stages at which a more active variant of Act. rimosus was obtained. This is evident of a possible use of the mutagen for induction of variation with respect to the quantitative feature of oxytetracycline production. A great number of morphologically changed forms and biochemical mutants of Pen. chrysogenum formed under the effect of this substance. NDMU induced a mutant of Pen. chrysogenum capable of selective synthesis of 6-aminopenicillinic acid without addition of the precursor.     

Effect of Cycloheximide on l-Leucine Transport by Penicillium chrysogenum: Involvement of Calcium

Cycloheximide (actidione) has an immediate inhibitory effect on amino acid transport by nitrogen-starved or carbon-starved mycelium suspended in phosphate buffer. High concentrations of phosphate alone are slightly inhibitory; cycloheximide appears to potentiate the effect of phosphate. Ca(2+) reverses the inhibition of transport caused by phosphate plus cycloheximide. Ca(2+) did not relieve the inhibition of protein synthesis. Cycloheximide promotes a continual uptake of (45)Ca(2+) by the mycelium. The cumulative results suggest that (i) membrane-bound Ca(2+) is involved in amino acid transport, (ii) cycloheximide labilizes the membrane-bound Ca(2+), and (iii) phosphate forms a complex with Ca(2+) making it unavailable for its role in transport. The effect of cycloheximide described above is observed within 1 to 2 min after addition of the antibiotic. This initial inhibition occurs more rapidly with 10(-3) M cycloheximide than with 10(-5) M cycloheximide. However, after a longer preincubation time, a curious inverse relationship between cycloheximide concentration and amino acid transport is observed. The mycelium incubated with 10(-5) M cycloheximide remains strongly inhibited (unless the antibiotic is washed away). The mycelium incubated with 10(-3) M cycloheximide recovers about 40% of the transport activity lost during the rapid initial phase. We have no obvious explanation for the inverse effect.     

Influence of inoculum preparation on the growth of Penicillium chrysogenum

AIMS: The influence of the spore preparation on subsequent fungal growth of Penicillium chrysogenum was assessed. METHODS AND RESULTS: The influence of four factors [the nature of the diluting solution (physiological water and physiological water added with Tween-80), the age of the sporulating culture (4, 8 and 12 days), the strain (737, 738 and 740) and the inoculum size (102, 103, 104 and 105 spores ml(-1)] on two responses (i.e. the radial growth rate, mu, and the lag time, lambda) was studied using an experimental screening methodology. CONCLUSIONS: The main conclusion was the strong effect of the inoculum size on lambda. In contrast, the diluting solution had no effect on both the experimental responses. In order to obtain the highest growth rates, it is recommended to use 4-day-old sporulating cultures with an inoculum size of 102 spores ml(-1). SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: There is a need for standardizing spore preparation in predictive mycology. The screening methodology is a powerful tool to determine the influence of qualitative and quantitative factors on various biological responses and can be applied widely in microbiology.