Cytological effects of fungal metabolites produced by fungi isolated from Egyptian poultry feedstuffs

The cytogenetic effects of fungal metabolites produced by 113 strains belonging to 36 fungal species and isolated from 5 substrates of commercial poultry feedstuffs were tested for their effect on the growing root meristems of Allium cepa. The fungal metabolites of Paecilomyces canescens, Aspergillus fumigatus, Syncephalastrum racemosum, Aspergillus terreus and Mucor hiemalis strongly suppressed cell division. Metabolites from other strains had less effect on cell division but permitted the appearance of several abnormalities through different mitotic stages. In general, chromosomal aberrations were more obvious with metabolites of Aspergillus species, Mucor circinelloides and Cladosporium cladosporioides. The mutagenic effects produced by these fungal metabolites reflect the risk that might take place through the consumption of these contaminated feedstuffs.