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NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE CHYTRID KARLINGIA ASTEROCYSTA, AN OBLIGATE CHITINOPHILE
Author(s) -
Murray Carol Lebeda,
Lovett James S.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1966.tb07359.x
Subject(s) - biology , thiamine , chitin , ammonium , glucosamine , ammonia , spore , phosphate , sulfur , ammonium sulfate , biochemistry , nitrate , nitrogen , food science , botany , chromatography , chitosan , ecology , chemistry , organic chemistry
The nonfilamentous chytrid, Karlingia asterocysta , has been isolated in pure culture on chitin media and the nutritional requirements of a single‐spore clone investigated. The fungus displayed an absolute requirement for chitin or preformed N‐acetyl‐ d ‐glucosamine. This requirement could only be relieved partially by glucose in the presence of limiting acetyl glucosamine concentrations. Under similar conditions other carbohydrates were not utilized. Sulfate was used as a sulfur source and either nitrate or ammonium ion served as nitrogen sources, though growth was better with amino acids. The organism had a very low phosphate optimum (5 × 10 –5 m ) and was inhibited by concentrations at or above 1 × 10 –3 m . The optimal pH range extended from 6.0 to 7.5 and growth decreased rapidly at higher or lower p H values. Thiamine was required at a very low concentration; only 2 μg thiamine‐HCl/liter were required for optimal growth. In a rich, agitated medium K. asterocysta completed a single growth cycle (i.e., plant generation) in 70 hr at 25 C.