Pfizer Handbook of Microbial Metabolites 



238 



contain neither, and facultative anaerobes such as Saccharomy- 

 ces cerevisiae and E. coli contain neither when grown anaero- 

 bically. A chart of microbial occurrence was published: 



TABLE II 



Basidiomycetes contain neither coenzyme Q nor vitamin K, 

 but produce another quinone which seems to have the same 

 function in this family. It has been extracted and purified to 

 some extent and called basidioquinone. 



A comparison of all the animal, plant and microorganism 

 sources indicated that, in general, lower organisms contain 

 lower homologues of coenzyme Q. 



Evidence has been obtained for the coenzyme function of the 

 Q (and K) quihones: ( 1 ) Extraction from mitochondria destroys 

 enzymatic activity, which is restored by restoration of the coen- 

 zymes. (2) Inhibitors of electron transport, such as the anti- 

 biotic, antimycin A, affect the oxidation state of the quinones in 

 a predictable manner. (3) The rate of oxidation or reduction 

 in mitochondria is what might be anticipated for participation 

 in electron transport. The pattern of occurrence in aerobic and 

 anaerobic microorganisms also is suggestive. 



The general structure of the electron transport system in cell 

 mitochondria in the light of the new discoveries has been re- 

 viewed.^* 



Apparently coenzyme Q is formed by a combination of the 



-^ D. E. Green and R. L. Lester, Federation Proc. 18 987-1000 

 (1959). 



