MASS-TRANSFER AND GROWTH-KINETICS IN FILAMENTOUS FUNGI

yA mechanistic model has been developed to describe mass transfer and growth kinetics in filamentous fungi on solid substrate before branchi ng takes place. The model accounts for substrate diffusion in the soli d medium, uptake and release of substrate at the fungal wall membrane by a carrier, and formation of wall precursors coupled to mass transpo rt by diffusion and convection inside the hypha. Model simulations for a range of substrate concentration showed good qualitative agreement with experimental data, when measured values of hyphal diameter and ma ximum length of a germ tube were employed. The model was used to evalu ate the relative contribution of convective flow to the overall mass t ransport inside the hypha, to explore the magnitude of substrate conce ntration micro-gradients in the solid medium, and to assess the role o f transport and kinetic parameters in the behaviour of hyphal growth. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.