COMPARISON OF SPECIFIC METABOLIC CHARACTERISTICS PLAYING A ROLE IN CITRIC-ACID EXCRETION BETWEEN SOME STRAINS OF THE GENUS ASPERGILLUS

Five different strains of three species belonging to the genus Aspergi llus were tested for their metabolic characteristics which are known t o play a role in citric acid accumulation. We were interested in how n on-producing strains differ from citric acid accumulating strains whic h might help us in the design of better producers. In this respect we checked whether all tested strains are osmophilic, if glycerol functio ns as an osmoregulator in all fungi, if it passes cell membranes and c auses the inhibition of the mitochondrial NADP(+)-specific isocitrate dehydrogenase and, finally, if citrate could be transported out of the cells. Due to different metabolic characteristics in each strain, ano ther point was found at which citric acid accumulation was prevented.