Formation of Hyphae and Chlamydospores by Cryptococcus Laurentii

SUMMARYMixtures of strains of Cryptococcus laurentii isolated from wheat and corn formed conjugation tubes after 7–10 days at 15 C on malt extract agar. Conjugated cells gave rise to hyphae that produced chlamydospores. Nuclear staining showed that the hyphal cells were generally uninucleate although about 5% were binucleate. Occasionally, strains of one mating type formed limited amounts of hyphae with chlamydospores, but the other mating type did not. Less than 1% of the chlamydospores germinated and formed buds, hyphae, or infrequently structures resembling a promycelium. The isolates did not mate with cultures of C. laurentii from other sources.