Some factors involved in growth and sporulation of Pilobolus Crystallinus Tode and Pilobolus Umbonatus Buller

Pilobolus umbonatus Buller and P. crystallinus Tode grew normally in a nitrogen atmosphere but their sporagnia were non-pigmented. When palced in anaerobic jars along with obligately anaerobic and obligately aerobic bacteria, the fungi grew in the range of oxygen concentrations too low for growth of the aerobic bacterium, but high enough to prevent growth of the anaerobe. The fungi did not grow when the oxygen was depleted to the point that allowed growth of the anaerobic bacterium. Catalase was not produced by the hyphae and trophocysts which normally grow beneath the surface of the medium, but was present in the aerial portions of these fungi. It is concluded that vegetative growth of P. umbonatus and P. crystallinus can occur under microaerophilic conditions but not under truly anaerobic conditions. Pilobolus umbonatus and P. crystallinus grew and sporulated on nutrient broth, nutrient agar, tryptic soy broth, tryptic soy agar, and glucose-asparagine agar when hemoglobin or nicotinic acid were added to these media. The growth-enhancing effect of hemoglobin was most pronounced at a low pH. Page\u27s observations that species of Pilobolus have an alkaline optimum pH and require thiamine for sporulation were confirmed. A spinach extract agar medium without further supplementation also provided for growth of these fungi. The hemoglobin media are transparent, easy to prepare, and convenient for routine culture maintenance, morphological studies, and classroom work with Pilobolus, and semi-synthetic hemoglobin media similar to the glucose-asparagine medium may be useful in some physiological studies

Minority Summer Research Program in the Plant Sciences

Gutierrez and Larcom (2000) suggest that ''According to the National Science Foundation/Division of Science Resources Studies in 1997, the percentage distribution of scientists and engineers in the labor force by race/ethnicity changed little between 1993 and 1997''. According to this report, Black, non-Hispanic went from 3.6 in 1993 to 3.4 in 1997. Hispanic went from 3.0 in 1993 to 3.1 in 1997; and American Indian/Alaskan Native stayed the same at 0.3 during the same period. The only exceptions were a slight increase in the percentage of Asian from 9.2 in 1993 to 10.4 in 1997, while a slight decrease in percentage White from 83.9 in 1993 to 82.8 in 1997. Overall, no major changes in minorities were present in the science and engineering fields during that period. These data shows that major efforts are needed in order to improve and achieve better results for diversity in the workplace (Gutierrez & Larcom, 2000). This does not mean that major steps have not been taken over this period. For example, the Minority Summer Research Program in Plant Sciences (also funded in part by NSF under the title, ''Undergraduate Researchers in Plant Sciences Program'') was established in an effort to enhance the diversity of the plant science community. The Minority Summer Research Program in Plant Sciences was designed to encourage members of underrepresented groups to seek career opportunities in the plant sciences. To achieve this end, the program contained several components with the primary focus on mentored research for undergraduate students. The research experience was provided during the summer months on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. At the end of the summer experience, each participant presented an oral report on their research, and submitted a written paper on the same topic. This was deliberately designed to mimic the plant science professions in which research leads to presentations in the form of reports, papers, etc. In addition to the program's research component, the participants met twice each week with the co-coordinators, William Gordon and Ken Poff, for an ''enrichment''. One ''enrichment'' each week was dedicated to a seminar or field experience designed to broaden the participants views of the plant sciences. The second ''enrichment'' was designed to teach strategies for successfully crossing cultural barriers, and to develop the skills necessary for success in admissions to and successful completion of graduate school. During the eleven-year duration of the program, participants have included students from underrepresented populations at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), an Hispanic Serving Institution (MSI), and a Native American transfer student from a Tribal College (Table I)