[Effect of carbon sources on the biosynthesis of ergot alkaloids and the activity of carbon metabolism enzymes in Penicillium sizovae].

The study was aimed at finding out how different carbon sources influenced the growth of Penicillium sizovae, the biosynthesis of epoxyagroclavine-1 and agroclavine-1 as well as the activity of key enzymes involved in the citric acid cycle, the pentose phosphate pathway and the glyoxylate cycle. The fungal growth was shown to depend on the carbohydrate substrate: it had a two-phase profile when P. sizovae was cultivated on mannitol and glucose, but not on sorbitol. The quantitative content and composition of ergoalkaloids depended on the combination of carbohydrate and organic acid substrates. The overall productivity of the mycelium (epoxyagroclavin-1+agroclavin-1) was highest when mannitol and fumarate were used. A medium with sorbitol and fumaric acid was very selective in terms of epoxyagroclavine-1 synthesis. The high level of alkaloid biosynthesis correlated with the active functioning of the pentose phosphate cycle and with the low activity of the CAC.