672
R. H. THOMSON
same R f value and are probably identical, the third being different, and
one of the trio in each case is a dimethylaminosugar of the rhodosamine
or desosamine type. The rutilantins also contain aminosugars, not yet
identified.
In their general survey of the natural distribution of coenzymes Q,
Lester and Crane (83) detected these quinones in a number of bacteria. Coenzyme Q 8 has been isolated in a pure state from Azotobacter
vinelandii (115-117), which produces comparatively large amounts, concentrated (6.0 /mioles per gram) in an electron transport particle. Identification in other cases is mainly dependent upon ultraviolet absorption
spectra and behavior in reversed phase paper chromatography. Coenzyme
Q 8 was thus detected in a Hydrogenomonas sp. and in cultures of
Escherichia colt, but only when grown under aerobic conditions. In
several other aerobic species (Streptomyces griseus, Bacillus mesentericus, and two Mycobacterium spp.) coenzymes Q could not be detected,
but vitamin K was present. It may be that the latter is the respiratory
quinone in these species since Brodie, Weber et al. (169) have shown
that vitamin K is involved in electron transport in Mycobacterium phlei.
Coenzyme Q 8 is not the only representative of this group in bacteria.
Q 9 is present in Pseudomonas fluorescens, and in considerable amount
(4.3 /xmoles per gram) in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum
rubrum. In a Chromatium sp. this is replaced by Q 7 , and Staphylococcus
aureus (Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus) appears to contain more
than one coenzyme Q (150).
Vitamin K 2 . Quite early in the study of vitamin K it was noted
that the experimentally induced deficiency disease of chicks, characterized by bleeding tendencies and blood coagulation defects, could be
overcome by a diet containing fishmeal or rice bran which had been
subjected to bacterial action. Fishmeal that had been washed, and
either dried immediately or ether extracted, was ineffective, but if kept
wet for some time to permit bacterial spoilage, an antihemorrhagic factor developed (170). Antihemorrhagic activity was observed also in the
droppings of vitamin K-deficient chicks, and moreover, chicks could
sometimes recover spontaneously from a K-deficient state (171). Later
investigations showed that normal human adults excrete more vitamin K
than their diet contains, the excess being formed by bacterial synthesis
in the intestinal tract (172). After these observations, Almquist and coworkers (173) examined about twenty species of bacteria (including an
organism isolated from putrefied fishmeal) in laboratory culture, and
found that the great majority were able to synthesize vitamin K, as
measured by the blood-clotting times of test chicks (see Table IV).
Crane and Lester (83) have recently detected vitamin K in some other
R. H. THOMSON
same R f value and are probably identical, the third being different, and
one of the trio in each case is a dimethylaminosugar of the rhodosamine
or desosamine type. The rutilantins also contain aminosugars, not yet
identified.
In their general survey of the natural distribution of coenzymes Q,
Lester and Crane (83) detected these quinones in a number of bacteria. Coenzyme Q 8 has been isolated in a pure state from Azotobacter
vinelandii (115-117), which produces comparatively large amounts, concentrated (6.0 /mioles per gram) in an electron transport particle. Identification in other cases is mainly dependent upon ultraviolet absorption
spectra and behavior in reversed phase paper chromatography. Coenzyme
Q 8 was thus detected in a Hydrogenomonas sp. and in cultures of
Escherichia colt, but only when grown under aerobic conditions. In
several other aerobic species (Streptomyces griseus, Bacillus mesentericus, and two Mycobacterium spp.) coenzymes Q could not be detected,
but vitamin K was present. It may be that the latter is the respiratory
quinone in these species since Brodie, Weber et al. (169) have shown
that vitamin K is involved in electron transport in Mycobacterium phlei.
Coenzyme Q 8 is not the only representative of this group in bacteria.
Q 9 is present in Pseudomonas fluorescens, and in considerable amount
(4.3 /xmoles per gram) in the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum
rubrum. In a Chromatium sp. this is replaced by Q 7 , and Staphylococcus
aureus (Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus) appears to contain more
than one coenzyme Q (150).
Vitamin K 2 . Quite early in the study of vitamin K it was noted
that the experimentally induced deficiency disease of chicks, characterized by bleeding tendencies and blood coagulation defects, could be
overcome by a diet containing fishmeal or rice bran which had been
subjected to bacterial action. Fishmeal that had been washed, and
either dried immediately or ether extracted, was ineffective, but if kept
wet for some time to permit bacterial spoilage, an antihemorrhagic factor developed (170). Antihemorrhagic activity was observed also in the
droppings of vitamin K-deficient chicks, and moreover, chicks could
sometimes recover spontaneously from a K-deficient state (171). Later
investigations showed that normal human adults excrete more vitamin K
than their diet contains, the excess being formed by bacterial synthesis
in the intestinal tract (172). After these observations, Almquist and coworkers (173) examined about twenty species of bacteria (including an
organism isolated from putrefied fishmeal) in laboratory culture, and
found that the great majority were able to synthesize vitamin K, as
measured by the blood-clotting times of test chicks (see Table IV).
Crane and Lester (83) have recently detected vitamin K in some other