N‐methyl‐N′‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine and UV induced mutants of the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii*

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Abstract
Mutant strains were chemically induced by treatment with N-methyl-N''-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) and UV irradiation. UV and NTG mutation rates were obtained that were consistent with the organism being haploid. Three types of mutants were produced: (1) strains deficient in both .beta.- and .gamma.-carotene, the only carotenoids found in the wild type; phenotypes include albinos (translucent, dull white, "snow white") and cream-colored on agar as compared to the yellow-orange color of wild type colonies; (2) strains requiring adenine, guanine or cytosine in addition to the minimal medium for growth; (3) mutants that grow at a rate less than 40% of the wild type in minimal medium.