EFFECT OF COLCHICINE ON THE MYCELIAL WEIGHT AND THE NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS CONTENTS OF THE MYCELIUM OF CUNNINGHAMELLA SP.

Abstract

Colchicine had little effect on dry weight, nitrate, and phosphorus uptake, during a 48-hour period, by 5-day-old mycelium of Cunninghamella sp. except at 10 p.p.m. concentration of the chemical when the phosphorus content was higher. The drug also induced a higher percentage incorporation of phosphorus into organic compounds, while protein building was lowered particularly in the presence of 20 p.p.m. of colchicine. The latter phenomenon was accompanied by excessive accumulation of peptide nitrogen mostly in the external medium.Further, high concentrations of colchicine seemed to inhibit the rate of nitrate assimilation.