Assimilation of galactose and maltose bySaccharomyces rouxii, which is a typical salttolerant yeast playing an important role in soy-brewing, was negligible or extremely poor in the medium containing 18% NaCl, although the assimilation in the ordinary medium was vigorous. The yeasts which were able to assimilate and ferment galactose, maltose and/or saccharose in the high-saline medium were limited to a few strains. From the studies on balances of fermentation products, it was revealed that ethanol yield based on sugar consumed in the 18% NaCl-medium was lower than that in the ordinary medium, suggesting that other fermentation products than ethanol should be accumulated. Analytical results of the fermented broths showed much polyalcohol production in the high-saline medium.

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The accumulation of 5 (4)-amino-4 (5)-imidazolecarboxamide riboside (AICA-R) in the culture medium of sulfonamide-inhibited Escherichia coli, and E. coli-like bacteria was studied. E. coli strain B and 32 strains of E. coli-like bacteria accumulated more than 50μmoles of AICA-R in test tube scale experiments, and one of E. coli-like bacteria accumulated 358μmoles. E. coli B-96 (purine-requiring mutant) had ability to accumulate AICA-R in the glucose-salt medium containing purine bases, especially xanthine. The addition of glycine alone or together with glutamic acid to the glucose-salt medium increased the accumulation of AICA-R by sulfadiazine-inhibited E. coli strain B. The accumulation was considerably increased by the addition of polypeptone or casein hydrolysate.
AICA-R accumulated during sulfadiazine bacteriostasis of E. coli strain B was purified and crystallized according to the procedure of Greenberg and Spilman, and light amber colored crystals were obtained.

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The substrate specificity of crystalline mold maltase was investigated.
The enzyme acts upon various α-heteroglucosides or saccharides. Aryl-α-glucosides were hydrolyzed much faster than alkyl-α-glucosides. The enzyme acts on the maltose derivatives whose reducing groups have been masked. But among glucosylfructoses turanose, maltulose and isomaltulose were attacked with a slow rate while the enzyme was quite inert to sucrose. Malto-and isomalto-oligosaccharides were also hydrolyzed and the enzyme ceased its action at seven to eight units of hexose in both series of oligosaccharides.
The opt. pH range of Takamaltase was 4.2-4.6 and opt. temp., 50-55°C. Cu⁺⁺ and Hg⁺⁺ strongly inhibited the enzyme activity but other metal ions tested had no effects. It is suggested that the enzyme is not a sulfhydryl enzyme because of the lack of effects of SH-reagents on the activity.

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Hydroxyproline and other compounds were labeled with C¹⁴by Chlorella pyrenoidosasupplied with C¹⁴O₂in the light. The hydroxyproline recovered from a hydrolysate of the algae was administered through the cut bases of tobacco leaves. The leaves formed little proline from the hydroxyproline, but the C¹⁴label was transferred to a variety of other amino acids. Although hydroxyproline is not abundant in plants, it appears to be an active metabolite.

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The effects of irradiation in the JRR-1 (Japan Research Reactor No.1, a homogeneous light water nuclear reactor; max. power, 50KW) on microorganisms such as bacterial and fungal spores and yeast cells were investigated in comparison with those of ⁶⁰Co gamma radiation. As far as the lethal effect was concemed the dose rate of radiation in the experimental hole No.16 of the JRR-1 was equivalent to 3.0×106-3.4×106r/hr with ⁶⁰Co gamma radiation, and a ratio of the neutron effect to the gamma radiation effcct on microorganisms in this hole was estimated to be approximately 3-5.4. The results different from those with gamma radiation were obtained in experiments such as post-NaCl treatment and spore germination. The considerable contribution of fast neutrons to the total biological effect of neutrons, in comparison with the thermal neutron effcct, could be presumed from the microbiological experiments with the help of physical and chemical data. Morphological changes in postirradiation growth were observed by means of phase contrast microscopy. No specific aftereffect was found.

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The carotenoid pigments prepared from acetone extracts of chlorella were separated into epiphasic and hypophasic fractions by partition between petroleum ether and 90% methanol. Each fraction was subjected to column chromatography, using aluminium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide or calcium carbonate as adsorbent. The absorption maxima of the separated pigments in hexane and in carbon disulfide were compared with those of the known pigments. Some of the separated pigments were identified as those previously known which follow:α-carotene, β-carotene, rhodoxanthin, sarcinaxanthin, lutein and neoxanthin. Two unknown pigments with absorption maxima not yet reported were separated. The first showed absorption maxima at 478mμ in hexane and 518mμ in carbon disulfide, and the second at 383, 402 and 425mμ in hexane and 428 and 450mμ in carbon disulfide.

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Two hundred and fifty strains of molds including plant pathogenic microorganisms werecultured on solid media, and the production of pectolytic enzymes was followed by theclarification of fruit juice. Forty-four of them were found to have the action of clarifyingfruit juice.
Out of the said 44 strains, the following 7 strains, Coniothyrium diplodiella, Agaricuscapentris, Botrytis cinerea Penicillium citrinum, Sclerotinia libertiana, Carpenteles javanicus and Aspergillus niger, were choosen as producers of effective pectolytic enzymes, and C.diplodiella proved the most active of all in clarifying fruit juice and hydrolyzing pectin or pectic acid.

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According to the results of experiments on pectolytic enzymes produced by several sorts of molds, no parallel relationship could be observed between such activities on pectic substances as formation of reducing radicals, reduction of viscosity or pectin esterase and the fruit juice clarifying activity. A parallel relationship holds true between the reduction of viscosity of fruit juice and the fruit juice clarifying activity. Pectin esterase intensified the activity of some molds to hydrolyze pectic substances, but did not at all influence the same activity of others. Although pectin esterase displayed an action to intensify fruit juice clarification, it deteriorated clarity when excessive.

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Production of pectolytic enzymes in solid culture of Coniothyrium diplodiella andcharacteristics of those enzymes have been examined. Defatted rice bran was found to bethe most favorable culture medium, by use of which production of a significant quantityof the enzymes was observed after 3 to 4 days of culture at a temperature of 26°C.
The optimum pH for the action of the enzymes of the said microorganism upon pecticsubstance ranged from 4 to 4.5. Fifty per cent of their activities were lost at 50°C in 10minutes, and 100% at 70°C. The enzymes were unstable at a pH above 6. It was presumedby paper chromatography that polygalacturonase of the said microorganism was divided into two types, liquefying and saccharifying polygalacturonases.

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A microorganism was isolated from the air of a patient-room and classified in the genus Oospora. This microorganism was cultured on a malt extract medium, and the mycellium was separated from the culture filtrate. A new compound (O-1), m. p.129°C, C₁₁H₁₀O₃, and eburicoic acid, m. p.290°C, C₃₁H₅₀O₃ were obtained from the dried mycellium. Another new compound (O-2), m. p.176°C, C₁₁H₈O₅ was obtained from the culture filtrate.

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A new compound O-1 which was isolated from the mycellium of Oospora sp. was named oospolactone according to the existence of lactone ring. The chemical structure of this compound was studied, and as the result, it was determined as (I). This structure is closely similar to that of mellein (ochracin).

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Fundamental studies on the cultural conditions for the amino acids production frompentoses and hexoses employing a strain of our new isolates named Brevibacterium pentosoaminoacidicumnov. sp. were carried out.
As a result of these experiments, it became possible to obtain about 30% of alanine and10% of L-glutamic acid based on xylose, and alanine from glucose with a yield of about 40% in the proper conditions.

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Authors succeeded in rearing eri-silkworms from hatching to the mouth stage on an artificial food. The artificial food devised were composed of powdered leaves of castor-oil plant, “Kinako” (a powder of parched soy bean), sucrose, agar-agar, inhibitor solution and water. The results on larval raising, cocoon fibres and eggs of the eri-silkworms reared on artificial food were the same as those in the case of the eri-silkworms reared on fresh leaves of castor-oil plant, natural food for this insect, or rather better. The raising of eri-silkworms on artificial food may be adopted industrially for production of a wild silk.

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