Glucose oxidation in mycelia and spores of the wheat smut fungus Tilletia caries.

Previous studies with the wheat smut fungus, Tilletia caries, showed that this organism contains all the enzymes necessary for the operation of the pentose cycle and apparently of glycolvsis as well (Newburgh et al., 1955). Since the occurrence of a different pathway of carbohydrate catabolism or the predominance of a known pathway in the smut organism may be of importance for the control of smut, it was felt of value to assess the relative contribution to carbohydrate dissimilation of the several known pathways, using specifically labeled glucose as substrate. In addition, a comparison was made of glucose catabolism by field-grown spores and by mycelia grown in the laboratory.