Conversion of furfural to furoic acid and furfuryl alcohol by Neurospora ascospores.

The metabolism of furfural was studied with regard to possible mechanisms by which the chemical induces germination in ascospores. Incubation of ascospores in furfural resulted in the uptake of a small percent of the furfural, and the conversion of the bulk of it to furoic acid which was in turn converted to furfuryl alcohol. Conversion also occurred in Neurospora mycelium and conidia with the order being furfural to furfuryl alcohol to furoic acid. Conversion appears to be a noninducible enzymatic process localized on the outer surface of the cell. Conversion was completely inhibited without preventing germination indicating that conversion is not involved in the breaking of dormancy in Neurospora ascospores.