Intracellular superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities and membrane lipid peroxide levels in Fusarium acuminatum upon environmental changes in a defined medium

The variations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and lipid peroxide (LPO) levels in Fusarium acuminatum, an aerobic filamentous fungus, were investigated depending on the carbon and nitrogen sources during the incubation period. Fungus was cultivated in growing medium containing either maltose or saccharose in 5-25 g/L concentration range as a carbon source and either glycine or peptone in 5-35 g/L concentration range as a nitrogen source at 28 degreesC and 100 rpm. The observed highest SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activities were 31.2 +/- 0.655, 62.5 +/- 5.23, and 1.52 +/- 0.0122 IU/mg in the presence of 20 g/L maltose and 73.96 +/- 1.48, 74.46 +/- 2.94, 3.48 +/- 0.083 IU/mg in the 15 g/L glycine-containing medium at 16 days, respectively. At the same time, the minimum LPO level was observed at 20 g/L maltose and 15 g/L glycine compared with the other carbon and nitrogen sources. The results showed a negative correlation between antioxidant enzyme activities and membrane LPO levels in F. acuminatum cells. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.