Fungal growth in culture media simulating an extreme environment
Author:
Sergio Ãlvarez-PÉrez, JosÉ L. Blanco, Patricia Alba, Marta E. GarcÃa
Date: 20 July 2012
Abstract:
There is an increasing interest in the study of microorganisms that inhabit extreme environments for reasons that vary from gaining insight into the origin of life to the searching of newbiotechnological applications.Aims: In this work, we studied the tolerance of fungi isolated from the Aguas Agrias Stream (AAS; Tharsis,Huelva, Spain), an acidic metal-rich environment, to a culture medium prepared with water from thisextreme ecosystem (AASW medium). The ability of some culture collection strains of moulds and yeaststo grow on AASW medium was also assessed.Methods: For moulds, a tolerance index was calculated by dividing the growth diameter of colonies onAASW medium by the diameter in the control medium, and their germinative potential was recorded.For yeasts and yeast-like fungi, the minimum inhibitory concentration of AASW was determined.Results: In general, the fungi isolated from the AAS showed differences in their ability to germinate andgrow on AASW medium. Collection strains of the genus Aspergillus could grow on AASW medium, butshowed some differences in tolerance when compared to environmental isolates.Conclusions: Extremotolerant fungi can manifest differences in their tolerance to culture media thatsimulate the conditions of their natural habitat. The results of this work suggest that the ability of fungito grow in acidic, metal-rich environments might be more widespread than previously thought, andhighlight the importance of determining the factors that are responsible for tolerance to these extremeenvironments.
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