The Mutagenic Effect of Sunlight on the Fungus Aspergillus amstelodami

In the present research the mutagenic action of direct sunlight at the mid-day of summer had been tested on the conidia of the fungus Aspergillus amstelodami and its effect was compared to that from far-ultraviolet (FUV) and from 8 methoxypsoralen plus near -ultraviolet (8MOP + NUV). The conididal suspension of A.amstelodami was exposed to sunlight at four exposure times (20, 40, 60 and 90 min) were tested, and then plating on selective media which contain 8azaguanine to select azaguanine resistant mutant.
All the four treatments had produced mutant frequencies significantly higher than the spontaneous one, which represented the negative control (zero-min.).
The effect of the direct sunlight for 60 min. and 90 min. exposure time resembled that of 8MOP plus NUV. This was used as positive control.