Oxidative metabolism of dermatophytes.

A method for preparing young, actively respiring dermatophyte mycelia was obtained through the use of concentrated spore inocula and short growth periods in static culture. These hyphal elements were uniform in appearance, and vacuoles were absent. Concentrated mycelial suspensions were obtained which could be transferred easily and accurately. Glucose stimulated oxygen uptake in young mycelia which had been grown in a medium with low carbohydrate content. The level of endogenous respiration was affected by exogenous glucose only when this substrate stimulated oxygen uptake by less than 14%. Low nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) dehydrogenase activity was noted in microconidia which have a low endogenous Q(o(2) ) value, whereas the activity of this enzyme was greater in macroconidia and mycelia which possess higher endogenous Q(o(2) ) values. Microsporum gypseum oxidizes 50% of exogenous glucose and assimilates the remainder. A large percentage of this substrate was assimilated into nitrogenous substances.