DEVELOPMENT OF AUXOTROPHIC MUTANTS OF Aspergillus niger AND Aspergillus flavus

ABSTRACT

This study involves the idea of developing auxotrophic mutants of Aspergillus fungi, which normally rely on organic compounds for survival, to become self-sufficient by utilizing nitrate from the soil, similar to plants. Aspergillus is one of the most common and easily identifiable species of the fungi. This research involves the collection of the fungal strains which is then subjected to various growth mediums, including a medium containing chlorate (PDC) that induced mutation, isolation of mutant strains that withstood these unusual conditions. The key here was using a minimal medium containing nitrate as the only source of nitrogen, potentially triggering the fungi to develop a way to utilize the nitrate as their nitrogenous source. This leads to the development of mutants that were able to successfully utilize nitrate as this were observed from the colours of their selective medium and pattern of growth. This feat represents a significant leap forward in our understanding of fungal metabolism. These "autotrophic" mutants could have major benefits in areas like bioremediation (cleaning up pollution), biofuel production, and even food production. By not needing organic nitrogenous sources, these auxotrophic mutants could be cheaper to grow and more sustainable. The study outlines the development of these mutants, highlights the importance and need for further research to confirm and explore this topic.