Vitamins in germination. Determination of free and combined inositol in germinating oats

Abstract

The assay of inositol by Schizosaccharomyces pombe is used in a study of inositol in germinating oats. The organism is unaffected by fats, fatty acids and choline. Methods for assessing total and free inositol are described. Liberation of inositol from bound forms, chiefly phytin, by autolytic enzymes and by added phytase, are studied. During germination there is a net loss of inositol. A decrease in bound forms of inositol is compensated only partially by an increase in free inositol. Lipid inositol may be separated and assayed with some difficulty but is present only in small amount.