Biochemistry of the wood-rotting fungi, the production of D-threitol (1-erythritol) by Armillaria mallea (Fahl) Quélet.

Table 1, from which it will be seen that Staphylococcu aureus and other Gram positive bacteria are completely inhibited by mycelianamide at concentrations of 0-0020.005%. The compound has no marked action on Gram negative bacteria. Mycelianamide was equally effective against Gram positive bacteria on plain heart broth containing no added glucose, and almost equally effective if an undiluted culture was used for sowing the tubes. Through the courtesy of Dr A. J. Ewins, F.R.S., we were able to compare the bacteriostatic action of mycelianamide with that of certain aromatic diamidines of comparable molecular complexity, and have found that 4:4'-diamidino-xy-diphenoxypropane (Cl7H2002N4; mol. wt. =312) is almost identically potent when tested in dilute aqueous solution, in that 1 part in 40,000 would inhibit the growth of Staph. aureu8 No. 3095, and 1 part in 20,000 would inhibit the growth of Staph. aureus No. 3750 for 1 day.