C. Raghukumar et S. Raghukumar, BAROTOLERANCE OF FUNGI ISOLATED FROM DEEP-SEA SEDIMENTS OF THE INDIAN-OCEAN, Aquatic microbial ecology, 15(2), 1998, pp. 153-163
Two species of filamentous fungi, Aspergillus ustus (Bain.) Them & Chu
rch and Graphium sp., were isolated from calcareous animal shells at d
epths of 860 m in the Arabian Sea and 965 m in the Bay of Bengal. Labo
ratory experiments showed germination of conidia, growth of hyphae and
microconidiation in both the fungi at 100 bar pressure at 10 and 30 d
egrees C, suggesting barotolerance. The fungi also secreted barotolera
nt protease under these conditions. Protease synthesised and secreted
in cultures grown at 1 bar was also active under 100 bar pressure at 1
0 and 30 degrees C. At 10 degrees C, the fungi showed better conidial
germination, growth and protease secretion when subjected to 100 bar t
han when grown at 1 atmosphere. The results indicate barotolerance of
terrestrial species of fungi and suggest that they might be active und
er deep-sea conditions.