LYSIS OF BASIDIOMYCETOUS YEAST, RHODOTORULA GLUTINIS CAUSED BY MYXOBACTERIA

Abstract

Myxobacteria are known to lyse a wide variety of microorganisms. Lysis was analyzed to be caused by various enzymes which myxobacteria produce extracellularly. Selecting Rhodotorula glutinis, which is known to be rather resistant to lytic enzymes, we analyzed morphologically lytic phenomena of this microorganism by myxobacteria. During co-cultivation of myxobacteria and Rhodotorula glutinis, myxobacteria crowded around the coagulated Rhodotorula cells. On electronmicroscopic investigation of the yeast cells, the majority of cytoplasmic material disappeared and only membranous material and the cell wall remained. Preliminary biochemical studies have shown that extracellular protease was not found to be a sole factor but the fatty acids extracted from the myxobacterial cells were additionally required.