ISSN 2736-1756
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2016
Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr
© 2016 International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Mitochondrion activity and dispersal of Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus oryzae
Desmond M. Ncango1, Chantel W. Swart1, Carolina H. Pohl1, Pieter W. J. Van Wyk2 and Johan L. F. Kock1*
1UNESCO MIRCEN, Department of Microbial, Biochemical and Food Biotechnology, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa.
2Centre for Microscopy, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa.
Accepted 23 March, 2016
Abstract
We investigated the effects of anti-inflammatory and anti-mitochondrial compounds on spore dispersal in the pathogens, Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus oryzae. When acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and other non steroidal anti- inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were added to bio-assays of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae, spore-releasing structures were targeted first at lower concentrations. Similar results were obtained when oxygen was limited. These spore-releasing structures contained increased levels of mitochondrion activity compared to hyphae. We concluded that increased mitochondrion activity is necessary for dispersal of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae.
Key words: Aspergillus fumigatus, bio-assay, mitochondrion activity, non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Rhizopus oryzae, spore-releasing structure.