The Effect of Pantothenic Acid Deficiency on Acetylation in Bats*

The ability of normal and pantothenic acid-deficient rats to acetylate a foreign substance was compared by injection of p-aminobenzoic acid (PAB) and the subsequent measurement of the acetylated PAB excreted. Young male rats weighing around 100 gm. or mature rats averaging over 300 gm. were used in various experiments. Those selected for pantothenate deficiency were given a purified diet free of calcium pantothenate containing 73 per cent glucose, 18 per cent vitamin-free casein, 4 per cent corn oil (Mazola), 4 per cent Salts IV (6), 1 per cent cod liver oil, and the following vitamins2 per 100 gm. : thiamine chloride 400 y, riboflavin 800 y, pyridoxine hydrochloride 400 y, nicotinic acid 4000 y, and choline chloride 100 mg. Control animals received 2.5 mg. of calcium pantothenate per 100 gm. of ration. For acetylation measurements, a larger series was run with 1 mg. of PAB given intraperitoneally per animal, and a smaller series with 2.5 mg. of PAB. The urine of the following 24 hours was analyzed for total and free PAB by the method of Bratton and Marshall (7). Bound PAB was calculated by the difference and expressed as per cent which was bound of the total excreted during the 24 hours. Blank runs showed no natural interference with the test at the concentrations used. Repeated PAB