Viability, taxonomic confirmation and enzymatic detection of Acremonium species preserved under mineral oil in the URM Culture Collection

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 63 - 66
• Main Authors: Braz, Suellen Carvalho de Moura, Motta, Cristina Maria de Souza, Massa, Débora Maria de Lima, Neves, Rejane Pereira, Magalhães, Oliane Maria Correia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical 01-01-2009
• Subjects: Acremonium - classification; Acremonium - enzymology; Acremonium - growth & development; Amylases - biosynthesis; Enzymatic activity; Mineral Oil; Mineral oils; Mycology; Pathogens; Peptide Hydrolases - biosynthesis; Phospholipases - biosynthesis; Preservation, Biological - methods; Starch
• ISSN: 0037-8682; 1678-9849
• DOI: 10.1590/S0037-86822009000100013

Hydrolytic enzymes secreted by fungi play an important role in the pathogenesis of infection. With the aim of evaluating the enzymatic activity, 31 isolates of Acremonium stored in the University of Recife Mycology (URM) Culture Collection were tested. Culture fragments were transferred to glycoside broth for reactivation and further growth in potato dextrose agar medium in order to investigate viability and purity and to confirm the taxonomy through observing the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics. To detect enzymes, milk casein and gelatin were used as substrates for proteinase, starch for amylase and soy lecithin for phospholipase. Among the 31 cultures, 26 (83.9%) remained viable and 24 (92.3%) were confirmed taxonomically. Out of these 24 cultures, 12 (50%) presented proteinase activity, of which two (16.7%) were on milk casein, one (8.3%) on gelatin and nine (75%) on both substrates; 16 (66.7%) degraded starch. None of the cultures presented phospholipase activity. It was concluded that Acremonium species are able to produce enzymes that are involved in the pathogenicity of fungal infections.