title: Polykaryon formation using a swollen conidium of Trichoderma reesei.
abstract: The cellulolytic fungus, Trichoderma has oval and mononucleate conidia. When these conidia are incubated in a liquid medium, they begin to swell and their shape becomes spherical followed by an increase in inner space. In such swollen conidia, it is possible to produce a larger autopolyploid nucleus using a mitotic arrester compared with the case of the original conidia. In this study, polykaryon formation was attempted using these swollen conidia. Dried mature green conidia of Trichoderma reesei QM6a (IFO 31326) were incubated in Mandel's medium in order to swell. The swollen conidia were treated with a mitotic arrester, colchicine, for autopolyploidization. After autopolyploidization, polykaryon formation was carried out using the swollen conidia. After the treatment, multiple smaller nuclei whose diameter was almost the same as that of the original strain were generated from an autopolyploid nucleus in a swollen conidium. A cellulase hyperproducer without decrease in growth rate could be selected using such swollen conidia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Nutrition, Minamikyushu University, Kirishima 5-1-2, Miyazaki 880-0032, Japan. gaf00771@nifty.com
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hotta
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D008938:Mitosis; D011003:Ploidies; D011123:Polyploidy; D013696:Temperature; D014242:Trichoderma / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D003078:Colchicine