Summary
Phenethyl alcohol (PEA) can activate dormant ascospores of Neurospora. Between 4 to 8×10-8 M PEA solutions induce germination of ascospores of N. crassa and N. tetrasperma equal to or higher than that of those activated by heat. This PEA effect is significantly greater than that of related chemicals and of other compounds known to induce fermentative metabolism.
Influences of duration of exposure, sporal age, respiratory inhibitors and alcohol dehydrogenase activity have been studied in their relationship with PEA activation of dormant ascospores.
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Lingappa, B.T., Lingappa, Y. & Turian, G. Phenethyl alcohol induced germination of ascospores of Neurospora . Archiv. Mikrobiol. 72, 97–105 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409515
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00409515