PROBLEMS IN THERMOPHILY . III. The Amino Acid Composition of Thermophilic Bacilli

Abstract

Circular paper chromatographic methods were made use of to study the amino acid composition of thermophilic sporeforming bacteria grown at incubation temperatures of 37 and 55° C. No difference in the amino acid composition of the bacteria at the two temperatures of incubation was observed. The following amino acids were identified:
1. Alanine                8. Lysine
2. Arginine               9. Methionine
3. Aspartic acid        10.Phenylalanine
4. Cystine                11.Praline
5. Glutamic acid       12.Serine
6. Glycine                13.Threonine
7. Histidine               14.Tyrosine
It is suggested that an investigation of the free amino acids present in the bacilli grown at the two temperatures of incubation may reveal quantitative if not qualitative differences in the amino acid composition.