Studies in the biochemistry of micro-organisms

Abstract

P. resticulosum, when grown on Czapek-Dox 5% glucose soln., produces con-siderable quantities of the hitherto undescribed fumaryl-dl-alanine (fumaromono-dl-alanide) C7H9O5N, m.p. 229[degree] (decomp.) titrating as a dibasic acid. With diazomethane fumaryl-dl-alanine gives a pyrazoline derivative, C10H15-O5N3, m.p. 164-167[degree], (clearing at 169[degree]), on catalytic reduction (Pd-charcoal) it affords succinyl-dl-alanine, m.p. 157[degree]. The product has been synthesised from fumaryl chloride and dl-alanine and may be regarded as a simple peptide of fumaric acid and dl-alanine into which constituents it is resolved on acid hydrolysis. Metabolism solns. of P. resticulosum show considerable antibacterial activity and the antibacterial substance has been isolated in crude form. Fumaryl-dl-alanine does not appear, however, to form an integral part of the molecule of the antibacterial substance.