Influence of environmental conditions on hyphal morphology in pellets of Aspergillus niger: role of beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase.

The influence of modifications of the environmental conditions of growth on beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.30) activity and on hyphal morphological patterns in pellets of Aspergillus niger was studied. It was found that changes in the degree of branching and, to a lesser extent, in the number of bulbous cells were directly related to the activity of the enzyme. Nevertheless, since beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase is not the only enzyme involved in the lytic potential of the fungus, these findings do not exclude the possibility that other enzymes may be involved.