Abstract
DURING growth, fungi produce substances which have morphogenetic effects when applied to apices of actively growing hyphae. Factors which induce vacuolation, branching and other effects have been described1. The application of drops of culture nitrates to the margins of fungal colonies growing on agar is a suitable method for the demonstration of these morphogenetic factors, owing to the fact that developmental and ageing effects are most readily detected in this juvenile region. During a survey of culture filtrates from a large number of fungi which were being tested in this manner, one of the culture filtrates produced in the tips of the test fungus an abrupt and immediate change such that the subsequent growth of the axis was of considerably smaller diameter. The effect persisted after the treatment for more than 1 h and was followed by a gradual recovery until after 1.5–2 h the apex was again producing a hyphal tube of about the original diameter. No cytoplasmic change was evident in the treated tips. Branching was occasionally induced near the point of abrupt narrowing but was not invariably associated with the effect. The phenomenon of narrowing is of particular interest in relation to morphogenesis of the fungal colony as characteristically those hyphae produced behind the margin in the still developing but older regions of the colony are narrower than those at the extending margins. An understanding of the mechanism of hyphal narrowing could enlarge our knowledge of the process of ageing in fungi, and could also provide information helpful in elucidating the normal processes of hyphal extension growth.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Park, D., and Robinson, P. M., Nature, 203, 988 (1964).
Raper, K. B., and Thom, C., The Penicillia (Williams and Wilkins Co., Baltimore, 1949).
Hetherington, A. C., and Raistrick, H., Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., B, 220, 269 (1931).
Kováč, S., Nemec, P., Betina, V., and Balan, J., Nature, 190, 1104 (1961).
Robinson, P. M., and Park, D., Trans. Brit. Mycol. Soc., 48, 561 (1965).
Terui, G., and Shibazaki, I., J. Ferment. Technol. (Japan), 27, 150 (1949).
Jabbar, A., and Rahim, A., J. Pharm. Sci., 51, 595 (1962).
Betina, V., Nemec, P., Kutkova, M., Balan, J., and Kováč, S., Chem. Zvesti., 18, 128 (1964).
Pollock, A. V., Nature, 160, 331 (1947).
Wyllie, J., Canad. J. Publ. Health, 36, 477 (1945).
Raistrick, H., and Smith, G., Chem. and Indust., 19, 828 (1941).
Hall, E. A., Kavanagh, F., and Asheshov, I. N., Antib. and Chemotherapy, 1, 369 (1951).
Reilly, H. C., Stock, C. C., Buckley, S. M., and Clark, D. A., Cancer Res., 13, 684 (1953).
Singh, B. N., J. Exp. Pathol., 26, 316 (1945).
Chu, W-C., J. Lab. Clin. Med., 31, 72 (1946).
Hashimoto, K., and Morita, Y., Jap. J. Pharmacol., 7, 48 (1957).
Dubash, P. J., and Zutshi, D. P., Hindustan Antibiotics Bull., 1, 119 (1959).
Henderson, M. E. K., J. Gen. Microbiol., 14, 684 (1956).
Verona, O., and Gambogi, P., Phytopath. Zeitschr., 19, 422 (1952).
Leusch, L., J. Pharm. Belg., 7, 77 (1952).
Bastin, R., Rev. Fermentations et Inds. Aliment., 7, 11 (1952).
Blanpin, O., Therapie, 14, 677 (1959).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
ROBINSON, P., PARK, D. Citrinin—a Fungistatic Antibiotic and Narrowing Factor. Nature 211, 883–884 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1038/211883a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/211883a0
This article is cited by
-
The Mycelium Blueprint: insights into the cues that shape the filamentous fungal colony
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology (2014)
-
The social network: deciphering fungal language
Nature Reviews Microbiology (2011)
-
Morphological changes induced in fungi by antibiotics
Folia Microbiologica (1969)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.