228 BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF MOLDS 



However, kojic acid can be formed from carbon compounds simpler 

 than glucose so this reaction would necessitate the assumption that 

 these compounds are first converted to glucose. Condensation of 

 acetaldehyde normally occurring in a true alcoholic fermentation 

 has been suggested. However, the experimental findings of Katagiri 

 and Kitahara ""^ and Gould -- do not fit in very well with this theory. 

 They found that the addition of sodium sulphite (an acetaldehyde 

 binding or fixing compound) did not prevent the formation of kojic 

 acid from glucose. However, dihydroxyacetone can be converted to 

 kojic acid. Challenger and coworkers^ and May and associates'^ 

 suggest the possibility of a three carbon intermediate precursor. 

 Challenger and his associates suggest the following reactions. 



O 



II 

 OH CHoOH C 



/ \ / \ 



HC COH ,10, HC COH 



II + II ^^ II II +3H2O 



CHoOH-C CH -'"^^CHsOHC CH 



OH HO O 



Dihydroxyacetone (enol) Kojic acid 



More research must be carried out before the problem can be con- 

 sidered settled. 



Kojic acid is bacteriostatic in action, apparently more so against 

 the Gram-negative than the Gram-positive groups of organisms, but 

 it is toxic to laboratory animals. A few dyes and resins have been 

 prepared experimentally from this acid. 



Miscellaneous Acids, Metabolic Products, and Pigments. In addi- 

 tion to the acids formed by molds mentioned in the foregoing pas- 

 sages, various forms of the filamentous fungi produce a great variety 

 of organic acids and other metabolic products when grown on glu- 

 cose-salt media. Particularly active in investigating the chemistry 

 of the filamentous fungi have been Raistrick,^'' Clutterbuck,^' and 

 their associates. Some of the compounds produced by the molds are 

 listed in Tables 1 and 2. These tables are adapted from those com- 

 piled by Porter " in his excellent Bacterial Chemistry and Phijsiol- 

 ogy. The nomenclature of the molds is that given by Porter which 

 in general is that of the original writers. ' An idea of the enormously 

 varied synthetic abilities of the molds can be obtained by an exam- 

 ination of these tables. As yet, most of these substances are of 



