Nutrition of candida albicans, cryptococcus neoforms, and blastomyces dermatitidis

A wide variety of oarbon compounds can serve as carbon sources for Candida albicans, Cryptococous neoformans and Blastomyces dermatitidis. These oarbon sources include many carbohydrates, alcohols, and organic acids. The organisms can assimilate, as nitrogen sources, ammonium sulfate, ammonium ohloride, urea, asparagine, or peptone. Potassium nitrate is not utilized by any of these organisms. Various amino acids can serve as a nitrogen source in a synthetic medium. Biotin is the only vitamin which must be added to a synthetic medium for the growth of Candida albicans. Cryptoooocus neoformans requires thiamine for growth. Blastomyces dermatitidis does not require preformed vitamins added to synthetic medium. The initial hydrogen ion concentration is relatively unimportant in the ability of these organisms to multiply. All of the fungi under investigation grew in media adjusted over a pH range of 3.6 to 9.0. A synthetic medium which will support the growth of the organisms under study consists of the following: Glucose 10.0 grams; ammonium sulfate 1.00 gram; magnesium sulfate 0.5 gram; monopotassium phosphate 1.00 gram; biotin 2 ug; thiamine 200 ug and triple distilled water 1000 ml. Biotin can be excluded from the medium for the growth of Gryptococcus neoformana, and thiamine can be excluded for growth of Candida albicans. Neither biotin nor thiamine are required in the medium for the growth of Blastomyces dermatitidis