Investigations of Some "Unknown" Mutants of Neurospora crassa

Author: Dubes, George Richard

Year: 1953

Degree: Dissertation (Ph.D.)

Advisor: Mitchell, Herschel K.

Committee Member: Unknown, Unknown

Option: Biology; Biochemistry

DOI: 10.7907/WYR6-7736

Abstract

A sample of 16 previously "unknown" mutants of Neurospora crassa was studied. Five of these were shown to be double mutants. The growth requirements of 19 of the 21 single-gene mutants available then from these "unknowns" were at least partially defined chemically. Of these 19, three have been classified as serineless, two as asparagineless, two as pyramidineless, two as succinicless, and one each as aceticless, arginineless, aromaticless, asparticless, homoserineless, leucineless, methionineless, methionine-adenine-cystineless, p-aminiobenzoicless, and slow-grower. These had been classified as "unknowns" apparently for various reasons, such as: (1) inhibitions from normal metabolites, (2) complex requirements for double-mutant "unknowns," and (3) absence of active compound from chemically defined mixtures previously used. Some of these mutant genes have been located genetically. These results have been discussed briefly with reference to the hypothesis of the "unifunctionality" of the gene.

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