Advances in MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY This Page Intentionally Left Blank Advances in MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY Edited by A. H. ROSE School of Biological Sciences Buth University. U K and D. W. TEMPEST Departmmt sf Microhiologj? Uniiwsitj?of Sliefieli, U K Volume 30 ACADEMIC PRESS Hareourr Bruce Jovanovieh, Publishers London San Diego New York Berkeley Boston Sydney Tokyo Toronto This book is printed on acid-free paper @ ACADEMIC PRESS LIMITED 24-28 Oval Road London NW 1 7DX US.Edition published by ACADEMIC PRESS INC. San Diego CA 92101 Copyright K> 1989 by ACADEMlC PRESS LlMlTED All Righis Resivvcd No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by photostat, microfilm, or any other mcans, without written permission from the publishers British Library Cataloguing in Publicution Data Advances in microbial physiology. Vol. 30 1. Micro-organisms-Physiology 1. Rose, A. H. 11. Tempest, D. W. 576.11 QR84 lSBN 0-12-027730-1 ISSN 0065-291 1 Typeset and printed in Great Britain by Galliard (Printers) Ltd, Great Yarmouth Contributors C. A. Bilinski Research Department, Labatt Brewing Company Limited, London N6A 4M3, Ontario, Canada A. Datta Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi - 1 0 067, India K. Ganesan Molecular Biology Laboratory School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi - 1 0 067, India N. A. R. Cow Department of Genetics an I Microbiology, Marischal College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB9 lAS, UK N. Marmiroli Instituto di Genetica, Universita di Parma, 43100 Parma, Italy J. J: Miller Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton LIB 4K1, Ontario, Canada. K. Natarajan Molecular Biology Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi - 110 067, India J. Postgate Houndean Lodge, 1 Houndean Rise, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 IEG, UK J. Preiss Department of Biochemistry, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA J. 1. Prosser Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Marischal College, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB9 1AS, Scotland T. Romeo Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Camp Bowie a t Montgomery, Fort Worth, TX 76107, USA This Page Intentionally Left Blank Contents Contributors V Trends and Perspectives in Nitrogen Fixation Research JOHN POSTGATE I. Background 11. Chemistry 111. Biochemistry IV. Genetics V. Physiology VI. Ecology VII. Envoi References 1 5 7 9 13 17 19 19 Apodxis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Other Eukaryotic Microorganisms C. A. BILINSKI, N. MARMIROLI and J. J. MILLER I. Introduction: occurrence of apomixis in yeast 11. The meaning of apomixis in plants, animals and fungi 111. Apomixis in some eukaryotic micro-organisms IV. Inheritance of apomixis in yeasts V. VI. VII. VIII. Environmental modification of the apomictic phenotype Timing of events controlling the manner of nuclear division Nucleomitochondrial interactions in facultative apomixis Ecology of apomixis in yeasts IX. Concluding remarks References 23 26 29 33 36 39 41 42 46 48 Current Trends in Candida albicans Research A. DATTA, K. GANESAN and K. NATARAJAN 1. 11. 111. IV. V. Introduction Genetics Morphogenesis Pathogenesis Problems in research on Candida albicans 53 54 58 67 79 viii CONTENTS 82 84 84 VI. Summary VII. Acknowledgements References Circulating Ionic Current in licro-organisms I N. A. R. GOW I. 11. Ill. IV. V. VI. VII. VIII. IX. In trod ucti on Measurement of ionic currents Studies on bacteria Currents in fungi Currents in protozoa Currents in alga