Abstract
When wild-type Aspergillus niger N402 and a glucoamylase-overproducing transformant were grown in recycling culture without a nitrogen source, hyphal tip extension and glucoamylase production still occurred, but overproduction of glucoamylase by the transformant strain stopped. The mycelium retained a low metabolic activity. Light micrographs of mycelial samples showed that some hyphae were broken at their tip and partially empty, while after continuing recycling fermentation for more than 500 h many small and empty pieces of broken mycelium could be found. A model has been developed to calculate the mycelial growth and death rates. The mycelial death rate just exceeded the mycelial growth rate and as a consequence the amount of biomass in the fermentor vessel slightly decreased. It is concluded that the cytoplasmic contents of broken mycelial threads were released into the medium and acted as a nitrogen source for the growing parts of the mycelium.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alroy Y, Tannenbaum SR (1973) The influence of environmental conditions on the macromolecular composition of Candida utilis. Biotechnol Bioeng 15:239–256
Anderson JG, Smith Je (1971) Synchronous initiation and maturation of Aspergillus niger conidiophores in culture. Trans Br Mycol Soc 56:9–19
Barbesgaard P (1977) Industrial enzymes produced by members of the genus Aspergillu. In: Smith JE, Pateman JA (eds) Genetics and physiology of Aspergillus. Academic Press, London, pp 391–404
Bartnicky-Garcia S (1973) Fundamental aspects of hyphal morphogenesis. Symp Soc Gen Microbiol 23:245–267
Berry DR (1988) Physiology of industrial fungi. Blackwell Oxford
Blain JA (1975) Industrial enzyme production. In: Smith JE, Berry DR (eds) The filamentous fungi, vol 1. Arnold, London, pp 193–211
Bos CJ, Debets AJM, Swart K, Huybers A, Kobus G, Slakhorst SM (1988) Genetic analysis and the construction of master strains for assignment of genes to six linkage groups in Aspergillus niger. Curr Genet 14:437–443
Brada D, Schekman R (1988) Coincident localization of secretory and plasma membrane proteins in organelles of the yeast secretory pathway. J Bacteriol 170:2775–2783
Girbardt M (1969) Die Ultrastruktur der Apikalregion von Pilzhyphen. Protoplasma 67:413–441
Grove SN, Bracker CE (1970) Protoplasmic organization of hyphal tips among fungi: vesicles and Spitzenkörper. J Bacteriol 104:989–1009
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NJ, Farr AL, Randall RJ (1953) Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Markham P (1992) Stress management: filamentous fungi as exemplary survivors. FEMS Microbiol Lett 100:379–386
Norman BE (1979) The application of polysaccharide degrading enzymes in the starch industry. In: Berkely RCW, Gooday GW, Ellwood DC (eds) Microbial polysaccharides and polysaccharases. Academic Press, New York, pp 339–376
Novick P, Schekman R (1979) Secretion and cell surface growth are blocked in a temperature-sensitive mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 76:1858–1862
Pitt DE, Bull AT (1982) Use of autoradiography to quantify aspects of fungal growth and starvation in submerged liquid culture. Trans Br Mycol Soc 78:97–104
Righelato RC (1975) Growth kinetics of mycelial fungi. In: Smith JE, Berry DR (eds) The filamentous fungi, vol 1. Arnold, London, pp 79–103
Righelato RC, Trinci APJ, Pirt SJ, Peat A (1968) The influence of maintenance energy and growth rate on the metabolic activity, morphology and conidiation of Penicillium chrysogenum. J Gen Microbiol 50:399–412
Schrickx JM, Krave AS, Verdoes JC, Hondel CAMJJ van den, Stouthamer AH, Verseveld HW van (1993) Growth and product formation in chemostat and recycling cultures by Aspergillus niger N402 and a glucoamylase overproducing transformant, provided with multiple copies of the glaA gene. J Gen Microbiol 193:2801–2810
Trinci APJ, Righelato RC (1970) Changes in constituents and ultrastructure of hyphal compartments during autolysis of glucose-starved Penicillium chrysogenum. J Gen Microbiol 60:239–249
Verdoes JC, Punt PJ, Schrickx JM, Verseveld HW van, Stouthamer AH, Hondel CAMJJ van den (1993) Glucoamylase overexpression in Aspergillus niger: molecular genetic analysis of strains containing multiple copies of the glaA gene. Transgenic Res 2:84–92
Verseveld HW, van Metwally M, E1 Sayed M, Osman M, Schrickx JM, Stouthamer AH (1991) Determination of the maximum product yield from glucoamylase-producing Aspergillus niger grown in the recycling fermentor. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 60:313–323
Wessels JGH (1993) Wall growth, protein excretion and morphogenesis in fungi. New Phytol 123:397–413
Wösten HAB, Moukha AM, Sietsma JH, Wessels JGH (1991) Localization of growth and secretion of proteins in Aspergillus niger. J Gen Microbiol 137:2017–2023
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schrickx, J.M., Stouthamer, A.H. & van Verseveld, H.W. Growth behaviour and glucoamylase production by Aspergillus niger N402 and a glucoamylase overproducing transformant in recycling culture without a nitrogen source. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 43, 109–116 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170631
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170631