Effects of antioxidants on regeneration of protoplasts of the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei 6/16

The relative content of antioxidants in the mycelium of Trichoderma reesei 6/16 obtained by propagation of fungal protoplasts was shown to decrease (as compared to the initial culture taken for preparation of protoplasts) and restored only in the second generation of regenerated mycelium. In this respect, the effects of various antioxidants (β-carotene, ascorbic acid, α-tocopherol, and ionol) on the frequency of regeneration of T. reesei 6/16 protoplasts were studied. β-Carotene increased the viability of fungal protoplasts to the greatest extent. The effect of ascorbic acid depended on the presence of Fe ions. Ionol did not cause any measurable protective effect.