The Accumulation of Amino-acids by Fungi, with particular reference to the Plant Parasitic FungusBotrytis fabae

Abstract

SUMMARY A method is described for the assay of the uptake of amino-acids from aqueous solution by fungus mycelia. The rate of uptake in Botrytis fabae was found to vary with the age of the fungus, the pH, and the concentration of the amino-acid. Both L- and D-isomers were accumulated, but the system had a greater affinity for the L-isomer. Unsubstituted —NH2 and —COOH groups were necessary for the process, which was constitutive and inhibited by uncouplers of oxidative phos phorylation. Competition experiments with several amino-acids suggest that one uptake process is common to all. Although both peptides and amines were accumulated they did not compete effectively with amino-acids for uptake.