18 



BIOCHEMISTRY OF FUNGI 



tion of sodium sulphite to the nutrient solution. More recently 

 the carbonate has been substituted for the sulphite with good 

 results. Emmerling (1897) reported that Mucor vmcedo can 

 metabolize glycerol from sucrose. Raistrick et al. (1931) showed 

 that other molds, for example, Aspergillus wentii, a Clastero- 

 sporium isolated from cotton pulp, and Helm'inthosporhim geni- 

 culatwn, possess like capability. 



Kojic acid. This acid is a y-pyrone of the following constitu- 

 tion: 



CO 



/ \ 

 HOC , CH 



HC 



C-CHoOH 



O 



It is of special interest to the toxicologist because, when orally 

 administered to dogs, it produces symptoms like those of epilepsy. 

 Kojic acid was first isolated by Saito in 1907 from the mycelium 

 of Aspergillus oryzae. This fungus was subsequently found cap- 

 able of utilizing in the production of kojic acid not only sucrose 

 but also maltose, dulcitol, succinic acid, and inulin. Raistrick et al. 

 (1931) and Birkinshaw (1937) showed that this capability is 

 possessed also by Aspergillus flaws, A. efjusus, A. parasiticus, 

 A. tamarii, and Fenicilliwn daleae. The conditions for its produc- 

 tion were studied by May, Moyer, Wells, and Herrick (1931), 

 who secured yields of 45% of the glucose present. They varied 

 the amount of nitrogen and sugar in the medium, getting best 

 yields with approximately 20% sugar. The mode of its forma- 

 tion is not established, but it may be as follows: 



HCOH- 

 HCOH 



HOCH 

 HCOH 



HC 



CH 9 0H 



O 



CHOH- 

 HCOH 



c=o 



HCOH 



CH 



O 



HC 



CHoOH 



COH 



c=o 



CH 



C 



CH 2 OH 



Kojic acid 



o 



