A comparative study on the disintegration of filamentous fungi

Different methods for cell disintegration were tested for their efficacy on filamentous fungi, including percussion grinding, homogenization using an Ultra-Turrax, chemical treatment and lyophylization. The release of protein from Ganoderma applanatum and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus and the activity of cytoplasmatic glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in the crude extracts were monitored to determine the efficiency of each disintegration technique used . Fungal cells proved to be particularly resistant towards some disintegrat ion methods commonly used for yeasts and bacteria. Best results were obtain ed using a percussion grinder, if necessary, in combination with an Ultra-T urrax pretreatment. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.