DARK-INDUCED MORPHOGENESIS IN SYNCHRONIZED CULTURES OF BLASTOCLADIELLA BRITANNICA

Horenstein , E. A. (Michigan State University, East Lansing)and E. C. Cantino . Dark-induced morphogenesis in synchronized cultures ofBlastocladiella britannica . J. Bacteriol.84: 37–45. 1962—A method is described for growing synchronized, single generations of a million cells or more of the aquatic fungus,Blastocladiella britannica , uniformly suspended in agitated liquid media. The effects of population density upon the cell volume, dry weight, and generation time are described. The all-or-none effect of light and dark upon differentiation of thin-walled cells and thick-walled, pitted, resistant-sporangial cells, respectively, has been demonstrated, and the point of no return for both morphological pathways defined.