Ageing of Neurospora crassa. III. Induction of cellular death and clonal senescence of an inositol-less mutant by inositol starvation and the protective effect of dietary antioxidants.

Clonal growth rate and cellular viability of an inositol-less mutant of Neurospora crassa decline rapidly during deprivation of dietary inositol. Dietary antioxidants, either nordihydroguaiaretic acid, vitamin E or 3,5-ditert.-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, protected cells and clones of the mutant from death and senescence. Membrane deterioration with associated lipid autoxidation and consequent deleterious free radical reactions appear to be, in part at least, the causes of the mutant's death and senescence.