Mucorales fungi

Certik, M., Balteszova, L., and Sajbidor, J. 1997. Lipid formation and y-linolenic acid production by Mucorales fungi grown on sunflower oil. Lett. Appl. Microbiol., 25, 101-105. 

Twisted arrangements have been observed in the cell wall of the spore of Endogone (Mucorale, fungi) and in various animal cuticles, namely in certain medusae (6) and in almost all Arthropods Crustaceans (3-6), Insects and other groups (review in 20). 

The trisporic acids which function as sex hormones in Mucorales fungi are also formed from )3-carotene. Both plus and minus strains synthesize prohormones which are converted to trisporic acids. However, prohormones from the plus strain (p+) can only be converted to trisporic acids by minus cultures, and prohormones from the minus strain (p ) can only be converted to trisporic acids by the plus strain (Bu Lock et al., 1976). The biosynthetic origin of trisporic acids has been demonstrated in B. trispora by examining the incorporation of labeled substrates into trisporic acids (Bu Lock et al., 1972, 1974 Austin et al., 1970). This work has been summarized in a review (Bu Lock et al., 1976). 

Zygomycosis is an uncommon infection caused by the fungi of the order Mucorales, class Zygomycetes, with the most commonly representative organisms being Mucor, Rhizopus,... 

Chitinases have found extensive use in the preparation of protoplasts tom fungi, a technique of increasing importance in biotechnology (58,59). Chitosanases are required to make protoplasts from species of Mucorales (54). 

Cross reactivity of anti ACE serum among some Mucorales, the exo-cellular and disrupted supernatant fractions prepared from other fungi was observed only in Mucorales. This suggests that a common serological determinant is present in Mucorales. 

Trisporic acid is the sex hormone of the fungi of the order Mucorales, It is not produced by unmated cells of the two mating types, but when (+) and (-) cells are close enough so that metabolites can diffuse between them they initiate a collaborative biosynthesis of trisporic acid, which diffuses into the medium. It affects the differentiation and isoprenoid biosynthesis of recipient cells. 

Trisporic acids (Fig. 1) are compounds with a profound physiological action. They are produced by, and act solely on, fungi of the order Mucorales where they control sexual differentiation. The majority of species are heterothallic, where conjugation occurs between two different but compatible... 

Several carotenoid metabolites have important functions. The most important of these to consider is vitamin A, which is a metabolite of /8-carotene. This compound plays a key role in vision and in other biological reactions. The role of vitamin A in animals has been reviewed by Pitt (1971). Trisporic acid, also a metabolite of j8-carotene, is important in sexual reproduction in Mucorales, a group of fungi (Bu Lock et al., 1976). Sporopol-lenin, found in the outer layer (exine) of both spores and pollen, is considered a carotenoid polymer (Krinsky, 1971). It has been proposed that abscisic acid, an important plant growth regulator, may be a carotenoid metabolite, but a direct biosynthetic pathway from GGPP seems more probable (Burden and Taylor, 1976). 

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