Halophilic Aspergillus penicillioides-a Specialist Group of Fungus and its Morphological Adaptations in Hypersaline Environments

Abstract

Halophilic fungi undergo various changes that enable them to adapt to osmotic pressure as well as toxicity of salt in the environment. Although several studies have been investigated on osmoadaptations of halophilic fungi to saline conditions, there are few reports on analysis of the fungal mechanisms occurring at micro and macro morphological levels that enable fungi to survive in saline environments. The current work reports the effects of salt on colony growth and micromorphology in obligate Aspergillus penicillioides and its mechanism of survival in saline environments.