SOME GENETIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF UREASE-DEFECTIVE STRAINS OF NEUROSPORA CRASSA

Abstract

Fourteen mutant strains have been isolated which differ from wild type with respect to urease activity: Seven strains lack detectable activity in vivo and in vitro, B1, C21 and allele 601, D1 and allele D3, D2, and W2, and fail to grow with urea as sole nitrogen source; seven have activity in vivo and varying amounts in vitro, A7, E3, E7, R2, S3, and temperature-sensitive strains C5 and K3. Strains D1 and D3 are allelic to Kolmark's ure-1; W2, to Kolmark's ure-2. Strain D2, which is either allelic or closely linked to ure-1, complements none of the strains lacking urease activity nor three of the strains having defective activity, and may be a regulatory mutant. Strains B1, C21 and allele 601 represent two previously unreported loci in linkage group I. Only two of the seven swains having defective urease activity have been mapped, A7 and S3, and have been assigned to linkage group V. These seven strains grow readily on Vogel's medium modified by having urea as sole nitrogen source but not on W-M medium similarly modified; growth is restricted on modified Vogel's medium as well, however, if the initial concentration of nitrogen, as urea, is suitably adjusted to exceed that of phosphorus.