THE OCCURRENCE OF PORPHYRINS IN CULTURES OF C. DIPHTHERIAE

Abstract

A complex porphyrin which has not been hitherto described is found in liquid cultures of C. diphtheriae. The porphyrin is a combination of coproporphyrin with both iron and copper, and shows an oxidation-reduction change. This is the first report, as far as we are able to determine, of a porphyrin compound which contains both iron and copper in its molecule. Its source is in all probability the cytochome of the bacilli.