Characterization of partially purified microbodies from hydrocarbon-grown cells of Cladosporium resinae

Abstract

Cells of the filamentous fungus Cladosporium resinae synthesize many more microbodies when they are grown on an n-alkane than when they are grown on glucose. Cladosporium resinae was grown on n-dodecane and spheroplasts were prepared, disrupted, and fractionated by differential and density gradient centrifugation. A fraction was isolated which was enriched in catalase, a marker enzyme for microbodies. Another fraction was isolated which was enriched in cytochrome c oxidase, a marker for mitochondria. Urate oxidase, a second marker for microbodies, was not detected in cell extracts. The microbody and mitochondrial fractions were relatively free of contamination from the endoplasmic reticulum and cytosol as indicated by the amounts of glucose-6-phosphatase and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase present, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the catalase-enriched fraction contained intact microbodies, with mitochondria as a minor contaminant. Catalase was localized in microbodies by staining with 3,3′-diaminobenzidine. Mitochrondria were present in the cytochrome c oxidase enriched fraction and took up the vital stain Janus green B. In similar preparations from cells grown on glucose, catalase was largely nonparticulate. Microbodies were not observed in thin sections prepared from density gradient fractions, but mitochondria were present in a cytochrome c oxidase enriched fraction.Key words: Cladosporium resinae, microbodies, mitochondria, catalase, cytochrome c oxidase.