Gene transfer between different Trichoderma species and Aspergillus niger through intergeneric protoplast fusion to convert ground rice straw to citric acid and cellulases

Single-stage direct bioconversion of cellulosic materials to citric acid using intergeneric hybrids obtained from three different Trichoderma species and Aspergillus niger was carried out. The recent results were obtained on the basis of either resistance or sensitivity to one or more of five metal ions, two catabolite repressors, and five antifungal agents, which were used in this study at different concentrations. Sixty-six fusants were isolated after using the three intergeneric protoplast fusion experiments, belonging to two types of intergeneric fusants. Fusants of the first type are heterokaryons (35 fusants). On the other hand, those of the second type are haploids (31 fusants), i.e., they were stable. The present study can be successfully applied in the construction of 14 new genetic fusants, which produced at least 100% more citric acid than the citric acid producer strain A. niger. Out of the fusants, three (1/18, 2/13 and 2/15) showed about a threefold increase of citric acid production in comparison with the parent A. niger strain. Furthermore, studies on DNA content showed that this finding may be submitted on the evidence that citric acid and cellulases production was not correlated with DNA content; however, the productivity depends on specific DNA content..