Microbial transformation of the sesquiterpenoid (-)-maalioxide by Mucor plumbeus.

Microbial transformation of the sesquiterpenoid (-)-maalioxide by the fungus Mucor plumbeus gave three metabolites, 9beta-hydroxymaalioxide, 1beta-hydroxymaalioxide and 7beta-hydroxymaalioxide. 9beta-hydroxymaalioxide and its structure was established on the basis of its spectroscopic properties and chemical reactions.

Complete cDNA sequence of chitin deacetylase from Gongronella butleri and its phylogenetic analysis revealed clusters corresponding to taxonomic classification of fungi.

A cDNA library containing a chitin deacetylase (CDA) gene from a zygomycete Gongronella butleri was constructed and the complete gene was sequenced. The complete gene contains an open reading frame of 1290 nucleotides which encodes a sequence of 430 amino acid residues. The gene sequence consists of nucleotides encoding a polysaccharide deacetylase domain located in the middle, covering 34% of the entire sequence.

Identification and molecular phylogeny of Epulorhiza isolates from tropical orchids.

24 isolates of Epulorhiza were obtained from the roots and protocorms of orchids in Singapore. Two groups were distinguished based on morphological and cultural characteristics. Group 1 comprised 20 isolates which were identified as E.

Selection of Gongronella butleri strains for enhanced chitosan yield with UV mutagenesis.

This paper describes the selection of Gongronella butleri strains producing higher chitosan yield using UV mutagenesis. We have devised an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the selection of high chitin deacetylase (CDA) yielding strains. Mutant strains M+1, M+2 and M+7 could produce twice the extractable chitosan yield and double the CDA activity, as compared to the wild type strain.