Molds as Mefabolic Models 87 



where morphological, phylogenetic, and pathological re- 

 searches demand a unique technology, it is equally true 

 that investigation of the activities of fungi employs the 

 equipment, the working methodology, the basic principles, 

 and especially the experimental rationale which are char- 

 acteristic of studies on all microorganisms, that is, the 

 science of microbiology. 



College-level bacteriologv usually is the student's en- 

 trance to microbiology; and as nearly as I can determine, 

 a conditioning to regard metabolism of fungi as a thing 

 apart originates there. Although most early courses in 

 bacteriology indoctrinate the student in the characteristic 

 physiological features of organisms as diverse as yeasts, bac- 

 teria, and viruses, it seems that fungi are studied only so 

 far as to enable the student to recognize them as obnoxious 

 contaminants in his bacterial cultures. 



It appears incongruous to delineate metabolism of bac- 

 teria from that of fungi, since the two overlap in so many 

 respects and since each group displays, more than any other 

 groups of microorganisms, a kaleidoscopic array of me- 

 tabolic diversity. The concentration exclusively on me- 

 tabolic activities of bacteria produces students whose 

 microbiological vision is one-dimensional in a stereoscopic 

 profession. In view of the homology between bacteria and 

 fungi with respect to methodology, to roles in natural 

 processes, to applied microbiology, and to exhibition of 

 biological phenomena, it is paradoxical that special efforts 

 are made to ignore, or at least to segregate, academic study 

 of the fungi in the curriculum of the bacteriology major. 

 For example, the three most recent and influential text- 

 books published in this country for use in courses in 

 bacterial physiology carry no mention of the metabolic 

 activities of fungi. Now, there may be good reasons for 

 ignoring in a text on bacterial physiology the molds, the 

 yeasts, the algae, the actinomycetes, and others. But should 

 we attempt to justify this to the student simply on the 



