Development of a Novel Compact Air-Driven Cold Plasma Instrument for Efficient Microbial Mutagenesis: A Case Study on Enhanced Pigment Production

Low-temperature plasma provides a chemical-free method for random mutagenesis, however, conventional systems often require bulky equipment and rare gases, which limits their accessibility. Here, we present a Compact Plasma Mutagenesis Instrument (CPMI) that operates in ambient air at 2–8 W, reducing energy consumption while increasing the plasma–sample interaction volume. Mechanistic studies indicate that CPMI induces DNA lesions via reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, leading to base oxidation, strand breaks, and adduct formation. The Application of CPMI to Talaromyces albobiverticillus produced mutant strain CY110. This strain exhibited over 4.5-fold of the wild-type strain extracellular pigment production, significantly decreased citrinin levels, and enhanced antioxidant activity relative to the parental strain. Unlike chemical mutagens or UV irradiation, CPMI generates no toxic byproducts, and unlike genome-editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas, it offers a non-genetically modified organism (GMO) approach suitable for food-grade applications. Collectively, these results establish CPMI as an accessible, energy-efficient, and regulation-compliant mutagenesis platform that complements existing synthetic biology toolkits. Unlike traditional systems, the air-driven CPMI eliminates noble gas reliance, providing a cost-effective and portable platform for industrial microbial optimization.