Changes in the shape and size of vacuoles during autolysis ofNeurospora crassa

✍ Scribed by R. Lahoz; F. Reyes; P. Villanueva; L. Jimeno

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1982
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 968 KB
• Volume: 78
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0301-486X
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00436575

✦ Synopsis

We have studied some of the changes in the vacuolar shape and size during autolysis ofNeurospora crassa mycelium. The fungus was grown in the Vogel's medium in a small fermenter. Microscopic examination of the periodically taken samples was carried out and the measurement of the size of vacuoles and of the hyphal and vacuolar areas were made on camera lucida drawings.

Before autolysis the vacuolar radius increased 44%. In the non-circular vacuoles there is an increase in the mean length of the maj or vacuolar axis from 5.4 _+ 3.3 to 9.1 _+ 4.8 ~m (70% increase) before autolysis, and a little more than 50% during autolysis. The minor vacuolar axis undergoes a steady increase in length throughout the whole period of autolysis. About 39% of the total vacuolar area is formed before autolysis sets in, whereas the vacuolar area produced during autolysis amounts to 30%. Adopting as a criterion for autolysis the loss in mycelial dry weight, we can conclude that the process of vacuolation, measured as the increase in vacuolar area in mycelium of Neurospora crassa, takes place at a similar rate before and during autolysis.