Influences of light on growth, reproduction and hypocrellin production by Shiraia sp. SUPER-H168

Light is a very important signal for fungi since it influences many different physiological responses. The effects of dark or light at different wavelengths on growth, reproduction and hypocrellins of Shiraia sp. SUPER-H168 were studied: dark, white, red, yellow, green, blue and purple. All incubations under different light conditions had significant stimulating effects on aerial hyphae and suppressing effects on hypocrellin biosynthesis compared with dark incubation. Under blue and purple light especially blue light, the colonies with profuse growth of aerial mycelium were formed. Hypocrellin production reached 13.73 mg per dish under dark condition, and decreased to 4.01 mg and 2.83 mg per dish under white and blue light, respectively. Light condition not only influenced hypocrellin production but also influenced the composition of hypocrellins. Four types of hyphae, namely surface, aerial, biofilm and penetrative hyphae, were observed by light microscopy and SEM. This study found that biofilm hyphae was so closely connected with production of secondary metabolites, and hypocrellins were only produced by biofilm hyphae. Light promoted sexual development and inhibited asexual reproduction, especially blue light strongly inhibited asexual development.