EFFECT OF HAPLOID OR DIPLOID CONSTITUTION OF ESCHERICHIA COLI ON FORMIC HYDROGENLYASE ACTIVITY

Olsen, Ronald H. (Colorado State University, Fort Collins)and James E. Ogg . Effect of haploid or diploid constitution ofEscherichia coli on formic hydrogenlyase activity. J. Bacteriol.86: 494–498. 1963.—Phenotypic differences occurring between haploid and presumed diploid strains ofEscherichia coli containing homologous genetic material have been observed. In a growth medium containing glucose and Casamino Acids, formic hydrogenlyase (FHL) activity was induced in haploid strains but not in diploid cells. Other differences were noted when haploid and diploid resting-cell suspensions were assayed for their ability to induce maximal FHL activity. For FHL activity, diploid induction lags were significantly longer, and maximal inducible rates were lower than those observed for haploid strains.