Spheroplasts were prepared from Aspergillusparasiticus NRRL 3240using~-glucuronidase from Helix pornaria. They were osmotically fragile spherical structures which lysed when suspended in hypotonic buffers. Purity of the preparation was confirmed by phase-contrast microscopy. Maximal conversion of mycelia to spheroplasts was achieved with 48 and 72 h old cultures. Spheroplasts were metabolically active as indicated by the incorporation of labelled thymidine, uridine and leucine into DNA, RNA and proteins, respectively. A significant incorporation of [meth~l-~H] thymidine into trichloroacltic acid-insoluble material suggested the presence of thymidine kinase in this organism. Spheroplasts and lysates demonstrated the ability to incorporate labelled acetate into aflatoxins. Maximum incorporation was observed in those prepared from 96 h old cultures. Lysates were more efficient in de n o w aflatoxin synthesis as compared to intact mycelia and spheroplasts.AFLATOXINS are secondary metabolites produced by certain strains of Aspergillus ~~Q V U S and A . parasiticus. Attempts to prepare cell-free extracts, active in de novo aflatoxin synthesis, from A . parasiticus cultures, by grinding with sea sand in the presence of sucrose/EDTA and mannitol /EDTA buffers proved unsuccessful, indicating that the enzymes involved in aflatoxin biosynthesis may be part ofa complex whose native conformation is altered by drastic treatments. The conversion of mycelia to spheroplasts followed by osmotic lysis to yield lysates might preserve the integrity of the enzyme complex. Hence a study was made of gentler methods of disrupting the mycelium. In this paper, we report the method used for studying the incorporation of [1-I4C] acetate into aflatoxins in spheroplasts and their lysates prepared from A . parasiticus.
Materials and Methods
ChemicalsAsparagine, Tris (hydroxymethyl) aminomethane, fl-mercaptoethanol, 2,5-diphenyloxazole, 1,4-bis[2-(5-phenyloxazolyl)] benzene, bovine serum albumin and pglucuronidase (from Helix pornaria) were purchased from Sigma Chemical Co., St.