RESPIRATION OF A PUFF MORPHOLOGICAL MUTANT OF SCHIZOPHYLLUM COMMUNE

The growth kinetics of wild-type mycelium and a puff morphological mutant of Schizophyllum commune revealed greater acid production and slower growth by this mutant. The compact mycelium growth habit of puff in defined liquid medium facilitated manometric studies of cellular respiration during culture aging. Basal oxygen consumption was highest in young, 2-day cultures as was exogenous glucose stimulation while both responses declined rapidly as the mycelial pellets aged. Respiratory stimulation by certain l-amino acids including histidine, arginine and serine was only demonstrated in aged cultures of puff mycelium. A qualitative shift in terminal respiration was considered unlikely because the metabolic poison sodium azide was a potent inhibitor of mycelial oxygen consumption regardless of either the culture age or the respective exogenous substrates employed. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.