Nutrition of the Myxomycetes. I. Pure Culture and Two-Membered Culture of Myxomycete Plasmodia

Abstract

1. The literature on the nutrition of myxomycete plasmodia is discussed critically from the standpoints of ingestion, two-membered culture (a special case of association culture with two different organisms), and pure culture. It is shown that the reports of pure culture are based on misconceptions or are at least open to criticism. 2. Techniques are described whereby myxomycete plasmodia may be obtained free of contaminants and subsequently grown in two-membered culture with Saccharomyces ellipsoideus, or some other micro-organism, and in pure culture on autoclaved yeast. Plasmodia may utilize living or autoclaved yeast as the sole source of nutrient. 3. The behavior of plasmodia in culture is discussed, and it is shown that myxomycete plasmodia may exhibit adaptation to cultural conditions. 4. Attempted pure culture on oatmeal and similar vegetable media was unsuccessful, in contradiction to reported pure culture on these media.