Control of Growth and Morphogenesis in some Myxococcus Species

THE influence of nutrition on growth and (particularly) on morphogenesis of some fruiting myxobacteria was observed in this laboratory some two years ago. As recently reported1, a number of Myxococcus strains grow luxuriantly on an agar (2 per cent w/v) medium containing enzymatically hydrolysed casein (Difco ‘Tryptone’, 1 per cent w/v). However, only vegetative cells are present ; neither the formation of microcysts (cellular morphogenesis) nor of fruiting structures (colonial morphogenesis) takes place. Microcyst and fruiting body formation does occur, however, when the ‘Tryptone’ concentration is reduced to 0.1 or 0.2 per cent (w/v).