Susceptibility and Resistance of Several Fungi to Microbial Lysis

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Abstract
Strains of Streptomyces, Nocardia, and Pseudomonas capable of lysing hyphae of Fusarium solani or Neurospora crassa were obtained by selective culture, but attempts to isolate an organism lying Rhizoctonia solani failed. When provided with F. solani or N. crassa as carbon sources, the actinomycetes tested produced [beta] -(1[forward arrow]3) glucanase and chitinase. A mixture containing purified chitinase and [beta]-(1[forward arrow]3) glucanase induced sphero-plast formation in F. solani, caused some morphological changes in N. crassa, but had almost no effect on R. solani hyphae. The polysaccharides in R. solani walls, which contain a large amount of glucose as well as galactose, mannose, and glucosamine, were not hydrolyzed appreciably by the two enzymes. Laminaribiose and laminaritriose were released by enzymatic hydrolysis of F. solani and N. crassa walla, and gentiobiose was liberated from R. solani and N. crassa walls. Melaninlike materials were found in jl. solani walls, accounting for 8.50% of the wall weight. A role for melanin in protecting hyphae from microbial lysis is suggested.

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