FREE AMINO ACID CHANGES DURING GERMINATION OF TELIOSPORES OF THE WHEAT BUNT FUNGUS,TILLETIA CARIES

Teliospores were aerated and agitated in a mineral salts medium and their free amino acid contents were analyzed at eight different times, from shortly after imbibition of water until just before germ tube emergence. In addition to the common amino acids, eight unidentified ninhydrin-positive components were detected. About 50 % or more of nearly each of the amino acids diffused out of the spores during the initial phase of germination. These released amino acids were actively taken up by the spores during the latter stages of germination. The free amino acids in largest amounts in the dormant spores of T. caries were arginine 15.0, glutamic acid 6.3, and alanine 3.7 μmoles per g dry spores. Together these three amino acids accounted for about 71 % of the total free amino acids in dormant spores of T. caries and T. controversa. The total amounts of free amino acids in spores of common bunt were much higher than in spores of dwarf bunt.