Induced Biochemical Mutants of Azotobacter agilis

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that X-ray-induced mutants are obtainable in A. agilis. Morphological variants, involving colony form and color, occur frequently, and physiological mutants have also been produced. A special search was made for variants with disturbed energy metabolism, and a rather stable mutant was discovered which, because of a complete genetic block, is unable to convert pyruvate to acetate. Since acetate or its derivatives are essential for growth, this mutant is not able to develop on substrates such as glucose and succinate, which are arrested at the pyruvate stage.