Abstract
WE have already shown1,2 that the poly-D-glutamic acid of molecular weight 6,400–9,000 which B. subtilis secretes into the culture medium contains γ-glutamyl links (I, R = COOH) in such predominance that few α-glutamyl links (III, R= COOH) can be present in the substance. This statement is based on the observation that in the acid hydrolysate of the polyamine derivative (I, R= NH2) prepared from the polypeptide, by Curtius degradation of the polyhydrazide (I, R= CON2H3) or by Hofmann degradation of the polyamide (I, R= CONH2), only β-formylpropionic acid (II) appears in quantities easily assayable by preparative methods, and no α.γ-diaminobutyric acid was found to be present. Control experiments with synthetic α-polyglutamic acid, on the other hand, readily gave α.γ-diaminobutyric acid (IV) on acid hydrolysis of the degradation product.
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Kovács, J., and Bruckner, V., Research, 5, 194 (1952); J. Chem. Soc., 4255 (1952). Bruckner, V., Kovács, J., and Nagy, H., J. Chem. Soc., 148 (1953).
Kovács, J., Bruckner, V., and Kovács, K., J. Chem. Soc., 145 (1953). Bruckner, V., Kovács, J., and Kovács, K., J. Chem. Soc. (in the press).
Hanby, W. E., and Rydon, H. N., Biochem. J., 40, 297 (1946).
Ivánovics, G., and Bruckner, V., Naturwiss., 25, 250 (1937); Z. Immunforsch., 90, 30; 91, 175 (1937).
White, B., Biochem. J., 40, 308 (1946).
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BRUCKNER, V., KOVÁCS, J. & DÉNES, G. Structure of Poly-D-glutamic Acid isolated from Capsulated Strains of B. anthracis. Nature 172, 508 (1953). https://doi.org/10.1038/172508a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/172508a0
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