Lactobacillus casei factor isolation

Studies on growth factors required by certain microorganisms, for example Streptococcus faecalis and Lactobacillus casei, and of their relevance in animal nutrition, led to the isolation and characterization of folic acid, pteroylglutamic acid (104), the structure of which was determined in 1946. It is an essential vitamin for man and together with vitamin B12 it is involved in the development of blood cells. Deficiency causes macrocytic anaemia. Many microorganisms do not use exogenous folic acid, but synthesize their own, and some... 

The isolation of lipoic acid in 1951 followed an earlier discovery that the ciliate protozoan Tetrahymena geleii required an unknown factor for growth. In independent experiments acetic acid was observed to promote rapid growth of Lactobacillus casei, but it could be replaced by an unknown "acetate replacing factor." Another lactic acid bacterium Streptococcus faecalis was unable to oxidize pyruvate without addition of "pyruvate oxidation factor." By 1949, all three unknown substances were recognized as identical.291 2913 After working up the equivalent of 10 tons of water-soluble residue from liver, Lester Reed and his collaborators isolated 30 mg of a fat-soluble acidic material which was named lipoic acid (or 6-thioctic acid).292 294... 

Nutritional studies with Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus faecalis R resulted in the discovery of new growth factors given the names norite eluate factor and folic acid, respectively. Assay methods using these two organisms were employed in the isolation of folic acid and related compounds from natural extracts. However, a number of previously reported biological responses to natural extracts may now be attributed to the folic acid group. 

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