Dihydroorotic Acid in Nutrition of Lactic Acid Bacteria

Abstract
L-Dihydroorotic acid is utilized by a no. of "pyrimidineless" lactobacilli to promote growth. D-Dihydroorotic acid in comparable amts. is not utilized and under suitable conditions is an antimetabolite of L-dihydroorotic acid. Methods are outlined by which the microbiological detn. of uracil, orotic acid, or dihydroorotic acid in a mixture of the 3 is possible by differential assay.