BLACKLIGHT AND SHORTWAVE UV SENSITIVITY OF NEUROSPORA CRASSA AS A FUNCTION OF CULTURE AGE

— Conidia of differing ages from wild type and the fluffy (fl) mutant of Neurospora were inactivated with both blacklight and shortwave UV. Five-day-old cultures of both wild type and fluffy conidia were equally sensitive to inactivation by shortwave UV while the fluffy mutant was more sensitive to blacklight inactivation. As the cultures age, both wild type and the fluffy mutant become more sensitive to inactivation by blacklight and shortwave UV. Possible explanations are offered for the enhancing effects of age on sensitivity to blacklight and shortwave UV.2