Sulphydryl Metabolism of Fungi Grown in Submerged Culture

SUMMARY: Radioactive phenyl mercuric chloride (labelled with 203Hg) was used to measure-SH groups in the mycelium and in the medium. Tritiated phenyl mercuric chloride was used as a quantitative cytological reagent. The changes in -SH concentration of the fungus were not always directly related to the changes in total S in Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum 49.133, Eremothecium ashbyii and Candida albicans. A peak in -SH concentration occurred in the cells of these organisms during the early growth phase. Extracellular -SH compounds were produced by all these organisms at some time during development. Cytological studies showed differences in the distribution of -SH compounds in the cell wall and cytoplasm. E. ashbyii and C. albicans had a strong -SH reaction in the cell wall, A. niger and P. chrysogenum 49.133 a weak one. Sulphydryl compounds were most concentrated in areas of hyphal bud formation in E. ashbyii but were not concentrated at the hyphal tip.