Spore germination and ribosomal activity in the rust fungi I. Comparison of a bean rust fungus and a culturable wheat rust fungus

Abstract

Ribosomes from uredospores of the as-yet-uncultured bean rust fungus ( Uromyces phaseoli) and the culturable Australian wheat rust fungus race 126-ANZ-6,7 ( Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici) were compared for transferase activity, capacity to bind polyuridylic acid and capacity to incorporate leucine into ribosomes in vivo. While the ribosome activities in bean rust uredospores declined before the germ tube was formed, these activities were maintained by ribosomes from the Australian wheat rust fungus. Mycelium derived from uredospores of the wheat rust fungus, and continuously subcultured for 4 years, had ribosomes that were three times more active in the transferase assay than ribosomes from uredospores.