Function of Nicotinic Acid in the Metabolism of the Colon-Typhoid Group of Bacteria

Abstract

WE have already¹ presented data indicating that nicotinic acid does not act as a specific ‘growth factor’ in the limited sense, but as a part of an activator of glucose fermentation. In the semisynthetic medium used, growth of S. paratyphi A. and Shigella dysenteriæ Shiga occurred in the absence of nicotinic acid; however, when glucose was added to this medium, active fermentation took place only when nicotinic acid was added. In order to test the validity of this conclusion, these studies were extended to include other fermentable substances under a variety of conditions. The full results will be published elsewhere, but we wish to direct attention now to a number of points of special interest.