The Assimilation of Amino Acids by Bacteria 23. ACCUMULATION OF FREE GLUTAMIC ACID WITHIN STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS INCUBATED WITH DERIVATIVES OF GLUTAMIC ACID* BY D. A. ROWLANDS

and y-glutamylhydrazides effectively. The pure hydrazide was converted into the azide in chloroform solution and coupled in one experiment with L-alanine methyl ester and in another with diethyl L-glutamate, according to the procedure ofLe Quesne & Young (1950b). The products were saponified with N-NaOH, and after acidification the acids were extracted into ethyl acetate, which, after drying (Na2SO4), was removed under reduced pressure. The crude residues were hydrogenated in the normal fashion, with palladium black as catalyst, in the presence of acetic acid. The crude products (10% solutions in water) were examined by paper chromatography, with butanol-acetic acid-water as solvent; in both cases oc-peptide was detected. A further portion of the pure hydrazide was coupled with L-alanine benzyl ester under the conditions of Sachs & Brand (1954); hydrogenation of the crude product gave material which, without purification, was examined by paper chromatography as above, and again x-isomer was detected.