Relationships between Morphology and Metabolism in the Dimorphic Fungus Mycotypha (Mucorales)

摘要

The study of yeast/mold dimorphism is particularly fascinating since it serves as a model for studying morphogenesis. It offers the question: what enables a cell with only one gene constitution to grow alternatively in the two basically different morphologies of apical mycelial (M-) form and apolar budding yeast (Y-) form. By merely varying growth conditions morphology may be manipulated and one morphology may be converted into the other. Actually there is a range of transitional morphologies from typical Y- to M-form accompanied by a corresponding range of metabolic states. In addition, a dimorphic fungus is usually capable of developing at least one sporulation (S-) form. Thus in trying to understnd what is responsible for a fungus growing alternatively as Y- or M-form it is important to study the spectrum of morphologies and metabolic states potentially involved in its life cycle.