Alterations in the carbohydrate composition of the cytosol of fungal spores caused by temperature variations and the storage process

Differences in the carbohydrate composition were revealed among spores of fungi belonging toZygomycetes, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, andOomycota, part of the novel kingdomChromista. It was shown for the first time thatPhytophthora infestons contains arabitol in addition to glucose and trehalose. Sucrose was detected inPleurotus ostreatus basidiospores. It was established thatBlakeslea trispora stylospores contain inositol. The dependence of the spore carbohydrate composition on the temperature of the habitat of the corresponding species is discussed. It was shown that the cytosol of the conidia is dominated by trehalose and inositol under hypothermic conditions and by mannitol and glucose under hyperthermic conditions.Neomycota andEomycota were shown to differ in their responses to stress (starvation), which correlated with the differences in the carbohydrate composition of the spore cytosols. Assuming that cytosol carbohydrates perform a protective function, we explain the higher viability of conidia compared to stylo- and sporangiospores.