DIPEPTIDE UTILIZATION BY SPHAGNUM FIMBRIATUM

Abstract

  The growth of Sphagnum fimbriatum Wils. was studied in aseptic cultures with 17 dipeptides given as the only nitrogen sources. Only glycyl-aspartic acid and glycyl-glutamic acid were nearly as good nitrogen sources as inorganic nitrogen (NH₄NO₃). Growth was rather weak in most cases, but only leucyl-tyrosine was toxic. Methionine-containing dipeptides were usually among the poorest nitrogen sources. This bog moss was fairly tolerant of a hydroxyproline-containing dipeptide (prolyl-hydroxyproline). The ability to use dipeptides efficiently is not so good in this species as in some other green plants studied, but on the other hand S. fimbriatum is more tolerant of a fairly wide range of compounds than, e.g., Drosera rotundifolia.