Phenotypic changes in the chemistry of Aspergillus nidulans: influence of culture conditions on mycelial composition.

A quantitative study was made of macromolecular (nucleic acids, protein), carbohydrate and mineral (magnesium, potassium and phosphorus) components of Aspergillus nidulans in glucose limited chemostat cultures, under varying conditions of dilution rate, temperature, pH and NaCl concentration. The overall mineral content showed greatest variation in response to changes in culture salinity, which also affected the mycelial carbohydrate content. Concomitant and opposite changes in the content of cations and carbohydrates under conditions of increasing salinity may be interpreted in terms of mycelial osmoregulation. Slight variations in DNA content but gross fluctuations in the level of RNA were noted under the different cultural conditions examined. Co-ordinate changes in RNA and Mg2+ contents were evident only under certain conditions: dilution rate from 0.05--0.07 h-1 or temperature from 22--30 degrees C. The constant molar stoichiometry between RNA and Mg2+ characteristic of unicellular microorganisms was not a feature of fungal growth. The protein content was most affected by shifts of temperature and reached minimal values at 25 and 50 degrees C. The growth environment had a marked influence on the protein synthesising activity of RNA, which increased eightfold as the dilution rate was increased from 0.02--0.175 h-1, doubled within the temperature range 20--30 degrees C and fell by 50% between 40 and 50 degrees C. These observations are discussed in the context of the constant ribosomal efficiency in protein synthesis hypothesis.