Basidiospore Germination in the Wood-destroying Fungus Lenzites saepiaria

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Abstract
SUMMARY Basidiospores of Lenzites saepiaria are not dormant and resemble vegeta- tive mycelium in physiological properties and in the way they initiate out- growth on a suitable substrate. Moistened spores respire significantly and autolyse in the absence of growth substrates; glucose, acetate or succinate are oxidized without lag. Optimal germinants, such as malt extract, allow outgrowth of 95 % of the spores in 4 to 5 hr. Studies with (14C)leucine, (3H)uridine, (3H) thymidine, (59Fe)FeC1, and (32P)NaH,P04 suggest that RNA and protein are synthesized at low rates which increase immediately after addition of a medium supporting germina- tion ; synthesis of DNA and Fe-porphyrins commences after approximately 2.5 hr. During germination and outgrowth, glucose is used primarily for syn- thesis of cellular material and little is converted to CO,. Glucose is initially utilized by the hexose monophosphate shunt and the Embden-Meyerhof pathway becomes active as outgrowth progresses. Exogenous organic acids are utilized primarily as sources of energy or membrane synthesis; CO, evolution is high and incorporation of these substrates into cellular com- ponents is low. Much of the incorporation may involve the fixation of CO, produced from substrate oxidation.

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