Decomposition of 14C-Labeled Cell Wall and Cytoplasmic Fractions from Hyaline and Melanic Fungi
1969
Hurst, H. M. | Wagner, G. H.
A hyaline fungus, Aspergillus niger, and an unnamed melanic fungus isolated from a soil sclerotium were grown on ¹⁴C glucose, fractionated into cell wall and cytoplasmic components, and the fractions analyzed for C, H, N, OCH₃, and specific activity. The cell wall fraction from the melanic fungus was higher in C and OCH₃ content than that from the hyaline organism. The fractions were incorporated into soil samples and ¹⁴CO₂ evolved was determined during 6 months. The rate of decomposition for cell wall material of both organisms was initially lower than that for cytoplasmic material. The hyaline cell wall decomposed at a relatively steady rate for a prolonged period, and after 6 months 70% of the C in this fraction had been lost as CO₂ compared with 62% of the C in the cytoplasmic fraction. Cell wall and cytoplasmic fractions of the melanic species were strongly pigmented and resistant to decomposition with 35% and 48% of the C in these respective fractions evolved as CO₂. The decomposition of complete, non-fractionated tissue of additional fungi was also studied. Hyaline organisms (Penicillium sp., Schizophyllum commune, Polystictus versicolor, Lenzites sp.) had a lower C content and underwent rapid decomposition in comparison with melanic organisms (Mycoleptodiscus terrestris, Cladosporium sp., Cenococcum graniforme, Mycelium radicis-atrovirens, Macrophomina phaseoli).
Show more [+] Less [-]AGROVOC Keywords
Bibliographic information
This bibliographic record has been provided by National Agricultural Library