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Nikkomycin-resistant mutants ofMucor rouxii: physiological and biochemical properties

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Abstract

We isolated three nikkomycin-resistant mutants of the dimorphic fungusM. rouxii which were physiologically characterized regarding their response to yeast-phase inducing conditions and their sensitivity to bacilysin. Mutant strains G21 and G23, showed a qualitatively normal, though delayed, dimorphic transition and partial cross-resistance to bacilysin. Mutant strain G27 showed an altered dimorphism, producing a high proportion (50%) of hyphal cells, and a wild-type sensitivity to bacilysin. Cell-free extracts from this mutant exhibited an activity of both basal and protease-activated chitin synthetase which was overexpressed as compared with the parental strain and mutants G21 and G23. Results are discussed in terms of the different genetic background of the mutants.

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Abbreviations

NTG:

N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine

UDP-GlcNAc:

uridine 5′-diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine

GlcNAc:

N-acetylglucosamine

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Ramirez-Ramirez, N., Gutierrez-Corona, F. & Lopez-Romero, E. Nikkomycin-resistant mutants ofMucor rouxii: physiological and biochemical properties. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 64, 27–33 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00870918

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