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The genetic variation among nine soybean-originating isolates of Colletotrichum truncatum from different Brazilian states was studied. Nitrate non-utilizing (nit) mutants were obtained with potassium chlorate and used to characterize vegetative compatibility reactions, heterokaryosis and RAPD profile. Based on pairings of nit mutants from the different isolates, five vegetative complementation groups (VCG) were identified, and barriers to the formation of heterokaryons were observed among isolates derived from the same geographic area. No complementation was observed among any of the nit mutants recovered from the isolate A, which was designed heterokaryon-self-incompatible. Based on RAPD analysis, a polymorphism was detected among the wild isolate C and their nit1 and NitM mutants. RAPD amplification, with five different primers, also showed polymorphic profiles among Brazilian C. truncatum isolates. Dendrogram analysis resulted in a similarity degree ranging between 0.331 and 0.882 among isolates and identified three RAPD groups. Despite the lack of a correlation between the RAPD analysis and the vegetative compatibility grouping, results demonstrated the potential of VCG analysis to differentiate C. truncatum isolates genotypically similar when compared by RAPD.

The genotoxicity of benznidazole at a concentration of 75 µM, used in the treatment of Chagas’ disease, has been recently reported. The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of benznidazole on the growth of epimastigote forms of T. cruzi I and II by using genotoxic (75 µM) and non-genotoxic (50 µM) concentrations. To assess the growth rates of T. cruzi strains G2, A2.1A, CL, Y, and 2052, parasites in the epimastigote form were cultured in LIT medium for 192 h at 28ºC, with (50 and 75 µM) and without (negative control) benznidazole. Benznidazole at both concentrations inhibited all the strains, regardless of genetic group. In the 75 µM concentration, there was a significant decrease in the number of parasites inoculated at T0 after 96 h incubation. The results showed that although genotoxic and non-genotoxic doses of benznidazole inhibit the growth of the epimastigote forms of T. cruzi I and II, only the 75 µM dose seem to indicate a possible trypanocidal effect.O benzonidazol é um medicamento utilizado no tratamento da doença de Chagas, cuja genotoxicidade foi recentemente observada em concentrações a partir de 75 µM. O efeito inibitório do benzonidazol sobre o crescimento de formas epimastigotas de T. cruzi I e II foi avaliado no presente trabalho, utilizando-se concentrações genotóxica (75 µM) e não genotóxica (50 µM) deste medicamento. Para avaliação da taxa de crescimento das cepas G2, A2.1A, CL, Y e 2052, os parasitos na forma epimastigota foram cultivados em meio LIT, durante 192 horas, à 28 o C, tanto em presença de benzonidazol (50 e 75 µM), quanto em sua ausência (controle negativo). O efeito inibitório do benzonidazol, em ambas concentrações, foi observado para todas as cepas analisadas, independentemente do grupo genético a que pertençam. Na concentração de 75 µM, observou-se após 96 horas de incubação, redução significativa do número de parasitos inoculados no tempo zero (T0). Os resultados demonstraram que tanto a dose genotóxica quanto a não genotóxica do benzonidazol inibiram o crescimento de formas epimastigotas de T. cruzi I e II, porém somente a dose de 75 µM pode indicar um possível efeito tripanocida.

Cremophor EL is a solubilizer and emulsifier agent used in the pharmaceutical and foodstuff industries. The solvent is the principal constituent of paclitaxel's clinical formulation vehicle. Since mitotic recombination plays a crucial role in multistep carcinogenesis, the study of the recombinagenic potential of chemical compounds is of the utmost importance. In our research genotoxicity of cremophor EL has been studied by using an uvsH//uvsH diploid strain of Aspergillus nidulans. Since it spends a great part of its cell cycle in the G2period, this fungus is a special screening system for the study of mitotic recombination induced by chemical substances. Homozygotization Indexes (HI) for paba and bi markers from heterozygous B211//A837 diploid strain were determined for the evaluation of the recombinagenic effect of cremophor EL. It has been shown that cremophor EL induces increase in mitotic crossing-over events at nontoxic concentrations (0.05 and 0.075% v/v).Cremofor EL (CEL) é um solubilizante e emulsificante amplamente utilizado nas indústrias farmacêuticas e de gêneros alimentícios. É o principal veículo empregado nas formulações clínicas do antineoplásico paclitaxel. Considerando-se que a recombinação mitótica desempenha importante função no processo de carcinogênese, o estudo de substâncias químicas com potencial recombinagênico assume importância crucial, no sentido de se detectar aquelas que eventualmente possam atuar como promotoras de neoplasias. A genotoxicidade do cremofor EL foi estudada no presente trabalho, utilizando-se uma linhagem diplóide uvsH//uvsH de Aspergillus nidulans. Neste fungo as células vegetativas comumente repousam no período G2 do ciclo celular, facilitando a ocorrência da recombinação mitótica. O efeito recombinagênico do CEL foi avaliado através da determinação dos Índices de Homozigotização para os marcadores nutricionais paba e bi do diplóide heterozigoto B211//A837. Os resultados demonstram que CEL é efetivo em induzir crossing-over mitótico em concentrações não tóxicas ao fungo (0.05 e 0.075% v/v).

Ethidium bromide (EB) is an intercalating inhibitor of topoisomerase II and its activities are related to chemotherapeutic drugs used in anti-cancer treatments. EB promotes several genotoxic effects in exposed cells by stabilising the DNA-enzyme complex. The recombinagenic potential of EB was evaluated in our in vivo study by the loss of heterozygosity of nutritional markers in diploid Aspergillus nidulans cells through Homozygotization Index (HI). A DNA repair mutation, uvsZ and a chromosome duplication DP (II-I) were introduced in the genome of tested cells to obtain a sensitive system for the recombinagenesis detection. EB-treated diploid cells had HI values significantly greater than the control at both concentrations (4.0 x 10-3 and 5.0 x 10-3 mM). Results indicate that the intercalating agent is potentially capable of inducing mitotic crossing-over in diploid A. nidulans cells.

An analysis of a new medusa mutant of Aspergillus nidulans obtained by 5-azacytidine-treatment and named B116 is provided. The B116 mutant was phenotypically characterized by the production of conidiophores with reduced pigmentation and vesicles bearing multiple tiers of sterigmata. A single nuclear gene located on chromosome I is responsible for phenotypical changes in the mutant. The 5-azacytidine-altered locus, designated medA102, is recessive in heterozygous diploid and the medusa mutant is a Dp(II,I) duplication bearer that renders the strain mitotically unstable.

The genotoxicity of benznidazole at a concentration of 75 µM, used in the treatment of Chagas’ disease, has been recently reported. The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of benznidazole on the growth of epimastigote forms of T. cruzi I and II by using genotoxic (75 µM) and non-genotoxic (50 µM) concentrations. To assess the growth rates of T. cruzi strains G2, A2.1A, CL, Y, and 2052, parasites in the epimastigote form were cultured in LIT medium for 192 h at 28ºC, with (50 and 75 µM) and without (negative control) benznidazole. Benznidazole at both concentrations inhibited all the strains, regardless of genetic group. In the 75 µM concentration, there was a significant decrease in the number of parasites inoculated at T0 after 96 h incubation. The results showed that although genotoxic and non-genotoxic doses of benznidazole inhibit the growth of the epimastigote forms of T. cruzi I and II, only the 75 µM dose seem to indicate a possible trypanocidal effect.

A instabilidade genética de linhagens de Aspergillus nidulans, portadoras de um supressor informacional (suO1), foi estudada no presente trabalho. suO1 foi selecionado através de sua capacidade de suprimir várias mutações auxotróficas e de coloração de conídios, presentes no genoma do mutante M-15. Este supressor mostrou-se também capaz de reduzir a fertilidade e a viabilidade conidial das linhagens suprimidas. Estas linhagens mostraram-se instáveis na mitose, produzindo espontaneamente setores mitóticos fenotipicamente distintos da linhagem original, e na meiose, produzindo cleistotécios contendo reduzido número de ascósporos viáveis. Em cruzamentos heterozigotos (su, ribo x su+, ribo+) mais de 25.0% da progênie exibiu o fenótipo mutante ribo, destacando a baixa eficiência da mutação suO1. Nossos resultados sugerem que suO1 induz erros na tradução de mRNAs selvagens e mutantes

O ascomiceto Aspergillus nidulans apresenta-se como um excelente sistema para o estudo da recombinação somática, por passar grande parte de seu ciclo celular em G2 e por apresentar mutações uvs que promovem aumento das freqüências normais de recombinação mitótica (uvsF e uvsH). O presente trabalho teve como objetivo obter uma nova linhagem diplóide de A. nidulans, com características apropriadas para estudos da recombinagênese, tais como: hetererozigose para marcadores nutricionais e de coloração de conidios e homozigose para a mutação uvsH. A maior sensibilidade do diplóide uvsH//uvsH no monitoramento de eventos de recombinação mitótica foi demonstrada através dos mais altos índices de recombinação mitótica espontânea por ele apresentados, em comparação com o diplóide uvsH+//uvsH +. A nova linhagem apresenta-se como uma ferramenta versátil, podendo ser utilizada em diferentes estudos relacionados à recombinação mitótica em A. nidulans

O presente trabalho demonstra o efeito recombinagênico do edulcorante artificial L-Aspartil-L-Fenilalanina-Metil-Ester (aspartame), amplamente utilizado em dietas hipocalóricas e de baixo consumo de glicose. Este efeito pode refletir respostas celulares a danos genéticos induzidos pelo edulcorante artificial, no período G2 do ciclo celular e demonstra sua capacidade de induzir homozigose de genes recessivos previamente presentes em heterozigose

Mitotic recombination is a process involved in carcinogenesis which can lead to genetic loss through the loss of heterozygosity. The recombinogenic potentials of two anticancer drugs topoisomerase I inhibitors, camptothecin (CPT) and irinotecan (CPT-11), were evaluated in the present study. The homozygotization assay, which assess the induction of mitotic recombination and gene homozygosis, as well as the heterozygous A757//UT448 diploid strain of Aspergillus nidulans were employed. The three non-cytotoxic concentrations of CPT (3.5 ng mL−1, 10.5 ng mL−1 and 17.4 ng mL−1) were found to induce both mitotic recombination and gene homozygosis. CPT treatment produced three diploids homozygous, for nutritional and conidia color genes, and Homozygotization Indices (HI) significantly different from negative control. On the other hand, only the highest CPT-11 concentration tested (18 µg mL−1), corresponding to the maximal single chemotherapeutic dose, produced HI values higher than 2.0 and significantly different from negative control HI values. The recombinogenic effects of both topoisomerase I blockers were associated with the recombinational repair of DNA strand breaks induced by CPT and CPT-11. The anticancer drugs CPT and CPT-11 may be characterized as secondary malignancies promoters in cancer patients after chemotherapy treatment.