Effect of Adenine and Metal Ions on the Production of Biotin-vitamers by a Biotin-producing Bacterium

Abstract

Thee effect of metal ions and adenine on the production of biotin-vitamers by a biotinproducing bacterium is described, and the identification of the vitamers is also described. The results presented in this paper are as follows:
(1) The production of biotin from dethiobiotin was greatly accerelated by the addition of the ash of yeast extract (Nissan) together with adenine sulfate to the culture medium.
(2) The effect of various metal ions on the production of biotin-vitamers was examined. The addition of Mn²⁺ to the medium greatly accerelated the production of biotin from dethiobiotin only when adenine sulfate and Fe²⁺ were also added to the medium. The metal ions other than Mn²⁺, as far as tested, are not effective even in the presence of adenine sulfate and Feet. The similar effect of the addition of Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺ and adenine sulfate was also observed on the production of biotin-vitamers from pimelic acid.
(3) Adenine sulfate added to the culture medium was partly converted to adenosine and hypoxanthine during the culture, and finally completely converted to hypoxanthine.
(4) While adenine added remained in the medium, a large amount of dethiobiotin was produced from pimelic acid, but biotin was not produced. After adenine added disappeared in the medium, the production of biotin rapidly increased along with the culture time.
(5) The main component of the biotin-vitamers produced from pimelic acid in the culture medium was dethiobiotin, and 7-keto-8-amino-pelargonic acid and biotin were observed as the minor components in the culture medium.