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Characterization of a Caffeine‐Resistant Mutant of Aspergillus parasiticus: Role of Amino Acid Metabolism
Author(s) -
BUCHANAN ROBERT L.,
STAHL HEIDI G.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1987.tb05912.x
Subject(s) - caffeine , aspergillus parasiticus , chemistry , biochemistry , arginine , asparagine , methionine , amino acid , purine , alanine , food science , sucrose , proline , aflatoxin , biology , enzyme , endocrinology
Aspergillus parasiticus BCRI, a caffeine‐resistant mutant of A. parasiticus NRRL 2999, produced abundant amounts of aflatoxins (AF) in yeast extract‐sucrose broth only when the medium was supplemented with caffeine. However, little AF production occurred in glucose‐mineral salts medium (GMS) regardless of the level of caffeine supplementation. Caffeine‐dependent AF production was restored if GMS were fortified with peptone or some other source of amino acids. Subsequent studies indicated that this effect could be achieved by supplementing GMS with specific amino acids, particularly proline, alanine, methionine, arginine or asparagine. Restoration of caffeine‐dependent AF synthesis did not occur when GMS was supplemented with purine bases or nucleotides. The results indicated that caffeine‐dependent AF production in BCRI was dependent on amino acid catabolism.