Abstract
3-Ethylthiopropionic acid has been isolated from a nitrogen-deficient medium of Escherichia coli, the first demonstration of its natural occurrence. It was identified by a combination of chemical, electrophoretic, paper chromatographic, synthetic, gas chromatographic, and mass spectrometric studies. A chemically related material recovered from chromatograms was an artifact formed by oxidation during the chromatography. Biosynthesis of 3-ethylthiopropionic acid utilized the sulfur of either 35SO 4 2− or ethionine- 35S. With exogenous nitrogen E. coli grew linearly using the sulfur of ethionine. Even without exogenous nitrogen, except for that from ethionine, a slight increase in turbidity occurred. While endogenous reserves may have been utilized to some extent, 35S was incorporated into cells even under these conditions. 3-Ethylthiopropionic acid also supplied 35S to cells when added to a nitrogen-sulfur deficient medium and was utilized more readily from a sulfur-deficient medium than was ethionine.
Published Version
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