NUTRITIONAL REGU.ATION OF MORPHOGENESIS IN MYXOCOCCUS XANTHUS

Abstract

Dworkin, Martin (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). Nutritional regulation of morphogenesis in Myxococcus xanthus. J. Bacteriol. 86:67-72. 1963.-Fruiting-body formation by Myxococcus xanthus can be induced by omitting phenylalanine and tryptophan from the chemically defined growth medium. This effect was specific for these two amino acids and was not attributable to a nonspecific lowering of the growth rate. A complex pool of amino acids is present in vegetative cells of M. xanthus. Nutritional environments leading to morphogenesis also result in a decrease in the level of this pool. These changes have been described.