Morphological alterations induced by cold-shock in Neurospora crassa

The effects of cold‐shock on Neurospora crassa was here investigated. In cold‐shock treated hyphae (6 h at 4 °C) the branching pattern was changed and dichotomy as well as a fan‐like‐pattern structure were temporarily detected at the tips. When exogenous Ca2+ (500 mM) was added to the hyphae, these morphological alterations were not detected. In addition, the protein electrophoretic profile of cultures submitted to cold‐shock was different from that of cultures kept at 30 °C. After 1 and 2 hours at 4 °C at least 5 bands were more intense than at 30 °C. The results suggest that cold‐shock temporarily increases the synthesis of some proteins probably involved in the acclimatization process at 4 °C, and that the effects on morphology are probably due to damage to calcium influx.