AXENIC CULTURE OF ANISOGRAMMA-ANOMALA - EVIDENCE FOR SELF-INHIBITION OF ASCOSPORE GERMINATION AND COLONY GROWTH

A medium supporting the prolonged growth of Anisogramma anomala in axe nic culture is described. Ascospores germinated and established coloni es only on media containing a chemical adsorbent. Bovine serum albumin at 0.5% and activated charcoal at 0.025% were most effective. Sucrose was the only carbon source of 19 carbohydrates tested that supported prolonged growth in culture. Growth was further enhanced by asparagine and yeast extract at 0.2%. Adsorbents apparently inactivate self-inhi bitors of ascospore germination as well as growth regulators produced by the growing cultures. Such self-inhibition may reflect biotrophic h ost specialization in this fungus.