THE EFFECT OF d -GLUCOSE ON THE UTILIZATION OF d -MANNOSE AND d -FRUCTOSE BY A FILAMENTOUS FUNGUS

Abstract

The Burma IDa strain of the filamentous watermold Allomyces macrogynus grows in synthetic liquid nutrient medium with mannose or fructose as the carbon and energy source only after a long and variable growth lag. A small amount of glucose makes possible immediate and uniform growth equal to that with glucose as the carbon and energy source. Autoclaved spores also reduce the growth lag in mannose. Mutants for mannose utilization were not found by various isolation methods. The ability of spores or mycelial fragments to grow in mannose without an extended lag depends on the continuous presence of mannose. The results are interpreted in terms of induced enzyme synthesis.