Nutrition and growth of Arthrobotrys conoides.

Coscarelli, Waldimero (Rutgers, The State University, New Brunswick, N.J.) and David Pramer. Nutrition and growth of Arthrobotrys conoides. J. Bacteriol. 84:60-64. 1962-Despite its ability to capture, kill, and subsist on nematodes, the predacious fungus Arthrobotrys conoides does not demonstrate a unique nutritional pattern. Yeast extract, required for growth in a glucose-inorganic salts medium, was replaced by biotin, thiamine, and zinc. Biotin biosynthesis by the fungus is blocked at the desthiobiotin to biotin conversion. A. conoides is unable to synthesize either of the two moieties of thiamine but, when supplied with pyrimidine and thiazole, completes biosynthesis of the vitamin via a coupling reaction. A chemically defined medium that supports rapid and abundant growth of A. conoides is described. Glucose is utilized efficiently (economic coefficient of 31.8 to 42.8), and yields exceeding 9 g (dry wt) of fungus tissue per liter of medium are obtained.