Effect of deuterium oxide on the saprophytic culture of Claviceps. I. Nutritional factors.

At high concentrations of heavy water, the saprophytic growth of a clavine-producing strain of Claviceps (strain 47A-Tyler) is highly dependent upon the carbon source. Minimal media containing only succinate as the carbon source support growth at D 2 O levels up to 90 per cent, but growth is progressively inhibited by deuterium oxide, and is extremely slow at the 80–90 per cent level. The addition of glucose, however, leads to good vegetative growth not only at 90 per cent D 2 O, but also at 99.6 per cent D 2 O. Preliminary investigations indicate that alkaloid accumulation is also a function of both deuterium concentration and the composition of the medium.