The relationship between fungal preservation method and secondary metabolite production in Metarhizium anisopliae and Fusarium oxysporum

The relationship between fungal preservation method and secondary metabolite production in Metarhizium anisopliae and Fusarium oxysporum
November 2003
M.J. Ryan1 , D. Smith1, P.D. Bridge2, 3 and P. Jeffries4
World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
Issue: Volume 19, Number 8
SpringerLink
(1) CABI Bioscience, Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey TW20 9TY, UK; Tel.:
(2) Mycology Section, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, TW9 3AB, UK
(3) Present address: British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK
(4) Research School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
Abstract The effects of preservation regime on secondary metabolite production in two genera of economically important fungi, Metarhizium anisopliae and Fusarium oxysporum, was assessed using thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography over a 2-year testing period. Five preservation regimes, commonly used in microbial culture collections throughout the world were investigated: continual sub-culture, lyophilization, storage of mycelial plugs in water, storage at ?20 ?C and cryopreservation with liquid nitrogen. Preservation regime influenced secondary metabolite production in the test fungi. Changes in secondary metabolite profiles occurred after relatively short storage periods in most strains, irrespective of the preservation treatment used. Although no preservation treatment can be guaranteed to provide total stability of secondary metabolite production, cryopreservation was the best of the methods tested. Response to preservation and storage also differed between strains of the same species. Therefore, there is a need to develop new and existing preservation criteria with an emphasis on strain-specific criteria in order to reduce the prospects of instability in secondary metabolite production.
Cryopreservation - lyophilization - mitosporic fungi - preservation methods - storage
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M.J. Ryan
Email: m.ryan@cabi.org
Phone: +1-44-0-1491-829080
Fax: +1-44-0-491-829100
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