Culture Methods and Sporulation of Physarum polycephalum

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The frequency of plasmodial sporulation in wild-type strain A of P. polycephalum declined from 51% in 1969 to 0% when it was routinely cultured by shaking in an axenic medium. The ability to sporulate was restored if plasmodia were cultured on oats. Plasmodia of wild-type strain K continuously maintained on oats sporulated as expected following illumination. Plasmodia of strain K when shifted to shaken culture lost their ability to sporulate; sporulation competence was restored after transfer and feeding on oats.