Cellular Growth 121 



the process of cell wall formation the action of colchicine niodifies 

 structure.^-"' These aspects are treated in a subsequent section ol this 

 chapter. 



4.^-1: Bacteria. Tests with colchicine have included a range of 



species ^'^- ^^'■*- i^- ^^^' ^'' "■^' '^'^' ^^' ^^^' "^' ^^' ^*'^' ^^' "^' ^''' ^'*' ^^' ^^^' ^'^^ Some 

 report no reaction and others claim that colchicine acts upon gro\\th 

 bv inhibition. Toxicity was also noted (Table 4.5) . 



Certain species of bacteria tolerate high concentrations of colchi- 

 cine in the mediinn. One source of powdered colchicine had bacteria 

 present in the material; small quantities of powder added to sterile 

 solutions of colchicine showed species of Agrobacterium.^^ For a num- 

 ber of species of microorganisms, colchicine without any additional 

 nutrient supported bacterial growth. It was a habitat for bacteria. 

 Undoubtedly these forms were able to use colchicine as a food. 



The bacteria gro\\-ing in a medium of strong dosage (1 pei' cent) 

 ]iroduced aberrant cells larger than the initial culture, but no con- 

 tinuation of these types has been possible. An increase in si/e may 

 represent a condition similar to the cell enlargements for vascular 

 plants. These are not hereditary changes. Single cell isolations have 

 not been reported. It would be of interest to know more about these 

 types. They should be singled out for subculture, since mass transfer 

 for isolating the ixuticular deviates has objections. Some morpho- 

 logical alteration temporary for a specific cidture undoubtedly has 

 been obtained. Increases amounting to 40 per cent were measured 

 for Bacillus mesentericus.^'^''- 



Polvnuclear cells in Escherichia coli cultures were reported but no 

 follow-uj) of this work has been discovered.!-^-' Apparently a repetition 

 has not been accomplished. 



In a metabolism test, respiration was inhibited in Micrococcus 

 aureus. A growth stimulation was obtained for PJiotobacterium phos- 

 phoreuiu.^"^ No changes were observed in the desoxyribose nucleic 

 acid and the ribose nucleic acid when cultures of Micrococcus 

 aureus were used.^' This is a sample of the fragments of information; 

 more are tabulated elsewhere (Table 4.5) . 



4.4-2: Yeasts and oilier fungi. The common brewers' yeast, Sac- 

 charomyces cerevisiae, has been tested by more independent workers 

 than any other of the microorganisms. A variety of concentrations of 

 colchicine Avere used and different techniques for culture, as well as 

 staining to determine cytological changes were tried. "'^' •^- ^- ■''^' ^!- 1-*'- 



54, 39, 144, 75, 9, 6, 119, 52, 132, 145 



A wide choice of responses is at hand, ranging from reports of no 

 action to those citing definite cytological change demonstrated by 

 special staining methods. Dumbbell-shaped nuclei were seen after a 

 96-hoin- treatment with 0.1 per cent colchicine. Other workers were 

 unable to obtain these same residts (Table 4.6) . 



