TRICHOPHYTONEAE 469 



sucrose, xylose, or 1-arabinose. He lists as slowly fermenting Epidermophyton 

 floccosum, Favotrichophyton violaceum, F. album, F. ochraceum, Megatrichophy- 

 ton roseum, and M. vinosum; as intermediate, Microsporum Audouini, all species 

 of Ti'ichophyton tried ; and as rapid f ermenters, Microsporum Neomicrosporum 

 group (M. canis, M. fulvum etc.) ; Ectotrichophyton, Epidermophyton ruhrum, 

 E. interdigitale, Achorion Neoachorion group {A. gallinae and A. muris). He 

 gives tables showing differences of the individual sugars. 



Mallinckrodt-PIaupt (1927) found that Ectotrichophyton mentagrophytes, 

 Achorion Schoenleini, A. muris, and Megatrichophyton rosaceum, were able 

 to split fats (using tributyrin) and utilize both glycerol and fatty acid, hence 

 probably human oil is no deterrent to these fungi. The individual strains 

 showed considerable variability. 



Finally Tate (1929) has made the fullest study of enzymes in the group, 

 working with Microsporum canis, Ectotrichophyton mentagrophytes var. ra- 

 diolatum both normal and pleomorphic mycelia, Microsporum Audouini, Tricho- 

 phyton tonsurans, and Achorion Schoenleini. He found peroxidase, catalase, 

 tiypsin, pepsin, lipase, maltase, amygdalase, and amylase in all species tried ; 

 no keratolase, invertase, inulase, lactase, or zymase in any species ; urease was 

 absent in T. tonsurans, a small amount was present in normal mycelium of 

 E. mentagrophytes var. radiolatum, and much in the pleomorphic mycelium 

 of that species. He found that in general the amount of carbohydrase present 

 was inversely proportional to the protease present. Besides studying enzymes, 

 he notes that these species can utilize nitrates and ammonium salts as sources 

 of nitrogen, but they cannot utilize sodium acetate, formate, or lactate as 

 sources of carbon. The possible limits of growth were not determined, but 

 it was possible at least from pH 3 to pH 8 with an optimum of pH 6-7. The 

 maximum concentration of phosphates in buffered solution was about M/60. 



Goddard (1934) working with Epidermophyton interdigitale and Micro- 

 sporum canis (31. lanosum) found that glucose, mannose, fructose, arabinose, 

 and to some extent sucrose increased growth, galactose was used by E. inter- 

 digitale only, and lactose was not used. Glucose decreases the rate of protein 

 hydrolysis but not the formation of ammonia from amino acids with the eon- 

 sequent decrease of hydrogen ion concentration of the medium. Casein and 

 peptone support growth and are hydrolyzed to polypeptides, amino acids, and 

 finally ammonia. In glucose peptone cultures, the curve of growth, the curve 

 of ammonia nitrogen production, and the curve of glucose consumption are 

 similar in shape during the period of exponential growth (9-21 days). 



Pigments of Megatrichophyton roseum, M. vinosum, T. Sabouraudi, Ecto- 

 trichophyton mentagrophytes A'ar. radiolatum, and Epidermophyton rubrum 

 were isolated. They were red to reddish brown, easily soluble in dilute acids 

 and acid alcohol but only very slightly in dilute alkalis. The color is yellow 

 in acid solution and red or reddish brown in alkaline solution. They are not 

 destroyed by boiling, and the acid solutions pass readily into ether and chloro- 

 form. Alkaline solutions reduce to a clear yellow solution with sodium thio- 



