title: Effects of carboxymethylcellulose and carboxypolymethylene on morphology of Aspergillus fumigatus NRRL 2346 and fumagillin production.
abstract: Aspergillus fumigatus NRRL 2346 is the producer of fumagillin, an antitumor antibiotic that inhibits angiogenesis. This strain is very difficult to grow reproducibly in shake flasks owing to an extreme form of pellet growth and extensive wall growth. The effects of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and carboxypolymethylene (Carbopol) on growth and fumagillin production by A. fumigatus were investigated. By adding the polymers to the fermentation medium, the growth form of the mold was changed from a single large glob to small reproducible pellets, and wall growth was diminished to a minimum. Carbopol, at a lower concentration, was more effective than CMC in improving both morphology and production. Small pellets were produced which favored fumagillin biosynthesis. 1.5% (wt/vol) CMC and 0.3% (wt/vol) Carbopol were found to be the optimum concentrations; higher levels increased viscosity to an unacceptable level.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Erika A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Hartwieg
authors.forename: Aiqi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Arnold L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Demain
mesh_terms: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001232:Aspergillus fumigatus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003510:Cyclohexanes; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D025301:Hyphae / Q000502:physiology; D011145:Polyvinyls / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000180:Acrylic Resins; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003510:Cyclohexanes; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D011145:Polyvinyls; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C006912:carboxypolymethylene; C026211:fumagillin; D002266:Carboxymethylcellulose Sodium