Composition and photoinduced biosynthesis of the carotenoids of a protoplast-like Neurospora crassa "slime" mutant.

A spheroplast-like "slime" mutant of Neurospora crassa (lacking a rigid cell wall) was found to synthesize an identical spectrum of carotenoids as wild type strains except for beta-carotene. Furthermore strict photoregulation of the biosynthesis of these pigments as well as the characteristics of photoinduced carotenogenesis were also nearly identical in the mutant and in the wild type.