Second Place Student Essay Fluorometric Staining of Phialophora gregata Using 4¢,6-Diamidino-2-phenyl-indol-dihydrochloride

A method has been developed to measure the DNA content of the fungus, Phialophora gregata. The fluorochrome 4¢,6diamidino-2-phenyl-indoldihydrochloride was used as a stain. Fluorescence intensities were observed under two conditions. The first included fixation of the fungal spores with 70% EtOH and 3:1 EtOH/acetic acid. The second did not include this fixation step. The results of spores that were fixed are consistent with previously published data of the diploid nuclei of Aspergillus nidulans. The non-fixed spores resulted in data that shows degradation of the nuclei.