Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Effect of Shock Waves on the Growth of Aspergillus niger Conidia: Evaluation of Germination and Preliminary Study on Gene Expression

Version 1 : Received: 25 August 2022 / Approved: 26 August 2022 / Online: 26 August 2022 (09:34:23 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Larrañaga-Ordaz, D.; Martínez-Maldonado, M.A.; Millán-Chiu, B.E.; Fernández, F.; Castaño-Tostado, E.; Gómez-Lim, M.Á.; Loske, A.M. Effect of Shock Waves on the Growth of Aspergillus niger Conidia: Evaluation of Germination and Preliminary Study on Gene Expression. J. Fungi 2022, 8, 1117. Larrañaga-Ordaz, D.; Martínez-Maldonado, M.A.; Millán-Chiu, B.E.; Fernández, F.; Castaño-Tostado, E.; Gómez-Lim, M.Á.; Loske, A.M. Effect of Shock Waves on the Growth of Aspergillus niger Conidia: Evaluation of Germination and Preliminary Study on Gene Expression. J. Fungi 2022, 8, 1117.

Abstract

Shock waves, as used in medicine, can induce cell permeabilization, genetically transforming filamentous fungi; however, little is known on the interaction of shock waves with the cell wall. Because of this, the selection of parameters has been empirical. We studied the influence of shock waves on the germination of Aspergillus niger, to understand their effect on the modulation of four genes related to the growth of conidia. Parameters were varied in the range reported in protocols for genetic transformation. Vials containing conidia in suspension were exposed to either 50, 100 or 200 single-pulse or tandem shock waves, with different peak pressures (approximately 42, 66 and 83 MPa). In the tandem mode, three delays were tested. To equalize the total energy, the number of tandem “events” was halved compared to the number of single-pulse shock waves. Our results demonstrate that shock waves do not generate severe cellular effects on the viability and germination of A. niger conidia. Nevertheless, increase in the aggressiveness of the treatment induced a modification in the four genes tested. Scanning electron microscopy revealed significant changes to the cell wall of the conidia. Under optimized conditions, shock waves could be used for several biotechnological applications, surpassing conventional techniques.

Keywords

Shock waves; Acoustic cavitation; Gene expression; Aspergillus niger; Cell permeabilization; Fungal germination

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Biology and Biotechnology

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