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Effect of low shear modeled microgravity on phenotypic and central chitin metabolism in the filamentous fungi Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum

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Abstract

Phenotypic and genotypic changes in Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum, spore forming filamentous fungi, with respect to central chitin metabolism were studied under low shear modeled microgravity, normal gravity and static conditions. Low shear modeled microgravity (LSMMG) response showed a similar spore germination rate with normal gravity and static conditions. Interestingly, high ratio of multiple germ tube formation of A. niger in LSMMG condition was observed. Confocal laser scanning microscopy images of calcofluor flurophore stained A. niger and P. chrysogenum showed no significant variations between different conditions tested. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed number of mitochondria increased in P. chrysogenum in low shear modeled microgravity condition but no stress related-woronin bodies in fungal hyphae were observed. To gain additional insight into the cell wall integrity under different conditions, transcription level of a key gene involved in cell wall integrity gfaA, encoding the glutamine: fructose-6-phosphate amidotransferase enzyme, was evaluated using qRT-PCR. The transcription level showed no variation among different conditions. Overall, the results collectively indicate that the LSMMG has shown no significant stress on spore germination, mycelial growth, cell wall integrity of potentially pathogenic fungi, A. niger and P. chrysogenum.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) Grant No. 1201002467 funded by the Korean Government. K. Rajagopal was supported by the Brain Pool Program funded by the Korean Federation of Science Technology Societies Grant by Korea Government (MEST, Basic Research Promotion Fund). Assistance by Ms. Eun-Jin Choi, Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Center for University Wide Research Facilities, Chonbuk National University for transmission electron microscopy is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Forest Science and Technology, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756, Republic of Korea

    Yesupatham Sathishkumar, Kalyanaraman Rajagopal, Chan Ki Im & Yang Soo Lee

  2. Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-701, Republic of Korea

    Natarajan Velmurugan

  3. Department of Forest Resources Utilization, Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, 130-712, Republic of Korea

    Hyun Mi Lee

  4. Department of Biotechnology, Vels University, Chennai, 600 117, India

    Kalyanaraman Rajagopal

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  1. Yesupatham Sathishkumar
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  2. Natarajan Velmurugan
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  3. Hyun Mi Lee
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  4. Kalyanaraman Rajagopal
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  5. Chan Ki Im
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  6. Yang Soo Lee
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Correspondence to Yang Soo Lee.

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Sathishkumar, Y., Velmurugan, N., Lee, H.M. et al. Effect of low shear modeled microgravity on phenotypic and central chitin metabolism in the filamentous fungi Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum . Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 106, 197–209 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10482-014-0181-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10482-014-0181-9

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