Growth of Dictyostelium discoideum in the presence of antibiotics.

Cultures of the amoeboid slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum, were grown in the presence of various antibiotics and antimetabolites. Results indicate that many antibiotics may be used in amoeba cultures to help minimize contamination (for example: polymyxin B, kanamycin, tetracycline, neomycin, oxacillin, ampicillin, cephalothin, and erythromycin). A few potent antibiotics were found to be unsuitable (colistin, nystatin, amphotericin B, actinomycin, and cycloheximide); the mechanisms of the inhibitions observed were not investigated further.