Abstract
Summary
Phenylmercuric nitrate in a dilution of 1:100,000 is toxic to suspensions of bakers' yeast as shown by respiration measurements, methylene blue staining, and plating. One per cent of an aqueous-alcoholic yeast extract protects yeast to some extent from this germicidal action. Respiration may cease after introduction of yeast extract and phenylmercuric nitrate, but the yeast is still viable as shown by methylene blue staining and plating tests. The importance of respiratory depression in the mechanism of phenylmercuric nitrate toxicity is supported, but caution must be exercised in the use of respiratory depression as a sole criterion of toxicity for yeast. The yeast extract overcomes the growth-depressant effects of phenylmercuric nitrate on yeast.
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