STRUCTURAL-CHANGES INDUCED BY GLYCINE ON STREPTOMYCES-ANTIBIOTICUS

Germination and vegetative growth of Streptomyces antibioticus in liqu id medium with different concentrations of glycine was examined. Both processes proved to be sensitive to the amino acid, being inhibited by 5 and 2.5% glycine, respectively. At concentrations of 5% or more, ly sis of the vegetative mycelium occurred. Subinhibitory concentrations of glycine induced structural changes on germinating spores. These inc luded an increase in the number of germ tubes produced by spore, in re lation to the control. Moreover, soon after outgrowth the tubes bifurc ate, giving rise to germinated spores with a characteristic aspect, an d anomalous formation of cross-walls that appear both within the spore s and in the newly formed germinative tubes, at or close to the region of outgrowth. The branching effect of glycine was also observed durin g vegetative growth of S. antibioticus.