The response ofDatura innoxia wild-type and auxotrophic cells to several enrichment agents

A number of growth-lethal agents were tested for their ability to discriminate between growing and non-growing cells of wild-type and several auxotrophic cell lines ofDatura innoxia P. Mill. Of these agents, 1-β-4-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C), 5-FU and FUdR were shown to decrease the growth of an adenine-requiring auxotroph only slightly at concentrations at which wild-type cells were killed. Only nystatin and arsenate had a degree of discrimination with the adenine-requirer sufficient for counter-selection. However, neither of these agents could be used to differentiate between growing and non-growing cells of two otherDatura auxotrophs, an isoleucine-valine-and a pantothenate-requirer.The efficacy of general enrichment methods for plant cell auxotrophs is discussed.