30 SEX IN AlICROORGANISMS 



to involve a sexual process. What appears to be similar fusion of 

 nuclear material in several species of Bacillus and in Clostridium 

 perfringeiis has been induced by exposure of the organisms to low 

 concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (Cassel, 1951). 



FUSION OF GAMETES 



A sexual process in bacteria involving the fusion of male and 

 female gametes, "spermit" and "oit" respectively, has been described 

 by Enderlein (1925). It is claimed that aging bacteria give rise to 

 small bodies called gonidia, each of which becomes transformed into 

 a "gonit." These "gonits" do not reproduce as such on solid media, 

 but in certain liquid media they may convert themselves into the male 

 and female gametes. Enderlein maintains that the "spermit" morpho- 

 logically resembles a vertebrate sperm with an oval to circular head 

 and a connecting piece from which emerges a long, thin tail giving 

 active motility to this cell. The "oit" is a larger spherical form with 

 a flagellum inserted in a warty protuberance, although motility is 

 indistinct or slow. Union of "spermit" and "oit" occurs directly after 

 their formation and is supposedly followed by nuclear fusion. 



These observations have apparently not been repeated nor more 

 convincingly documented by others. On the contrary, Henrici 

 (1928) has cast serious doubt on the validity of Enderlein's results. 



FUSION OF BACTERIAL CELLS 



Fusion of bacterial elements has been described as occurring by 

 a unique process in Azotohactev and a number of other bacteria 

 (Lohnis and Smith, 1916). Cells, spores, or gonidia in close proximity 

 reportedly undergo dissolution with a subsequent mixing of their 

 contents to form a "symplasm." Small granules later arise from the 

 "symplasm" and enlarge into coccoid or oval cells. This series of 

 events was postulated from the examination of fixed and stained 

 films in which it is, of course, impossible to follow any development. 

 Lohnis (1921) later attempted to study the formation of new bac- 

 terial cells from the "s\niiplasm" in hanging drop cultures, but with 

 unsatisfactory results. 



In a number of instances spherical bodies found in bacterial cul- 

 tures have been reported to result from cell fusion. In Escherichia 



