1917] AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY AGROTECHNY. 203 



The effect of alcohol and methylene blue on the formation of carbon 

 dioxid by dead yeast, V. I. Palladin and E. I. Lovchinov8kaia (Izv. Imp. 

 Akad. Nauk (Bnl. Acad. Imp. Set. Pctrograd), 6. set., 1916, No. 4, pp. 253- 

 256). — Experiments are reported, the purpose of which was to determine 

 whether or not those plants which are able to oxidize alcohol \inder normal 

 conditions may do so in the presence of a hydrogen acceptor with the formation 

 of carbon dioxid. 



The results obtain«l in general were negative. Preparations containing 

 alcohol and methylene blue sometimes produced slightly more carbon dioxid 

 than mixtures with alcohol alone. This small increase is attributed to the 

 stimulation of the process of fermentation by the methylene blue. 



On reductase of plants, V. I. Palladin, P. G. Platishenskii, and E. V. 

 £i.LADi {Izv. Imp. Akad. Nauk (Bui. Acad. Imp. Sci. Petrograd), 6. sei\, 1915, No. 

 4, pp. 309-826, fig. 1 ) . — It is indicated that the process of reduction in living or- 

 ganisms is of much more general occurrence than any other enzymic process, 

 and that a thorough knowledge of its mode of action is especially important 

 for the correct conception of the process of respiration. Experiments carried on 

 with seeds and sprouts of peas, wheat sprouts, and several preparations of 

 yeast are described in detail. The progress of reduction was determined by 

 comparison with control solutions of methylene blue. ' 



Soaking was found to accelerate reduction in pea seeds considerably. An 

 acceleration was also noted in pea sprouts, especially on the addition of 

 potassium bicarbonate. It is considered to be quite possible that germination 

 is accompanied by an increase In the amount of reductase. 



Extracted yeast reduced methylene blue less easily than nonextracted. The 

 reductase activity was paralyzed by autolysis. Boiled taka-diastase was found 

 to act as a eoezym, while the unboiletl exerted no influence. Peroxidase in- 

 hibited the action of reductase. 



Water was found indispensable for the activity of the enzym, while glycerin, 

 pyridin, alcohol, and formamid retarded its activity. Potassium hydroxid in 

 moderate quantities greatly stimulated retluction, but in larger amounts re- 

 tarded it. The action of calcium hydroxid was the reverse of that of potassium 

 hydroxid, while magnesium oxid exerted a stimulative action. The presence 

 of reductase in commercial diastase, taka-diastase, and emulsin was not de- 

 termined with certainty. 



It is indicated that the course of reduction depends on the amount of 

 reductase and the substance to be oxidized, as well as on the amount of the 

 hydrogen acceptor (substance to be reduced). 



The action of peroxidase on chlorophyll, V. Liitbimenko {Izv. Imp. Akad. 

 Nauk {Bui. Acad. Imp. Sci. Petrograd), 6. scr., 1915, No. 11, pp. 1159-1170).— 

 The author notes a recently discovered enzym of green plants, provisionally 

 named antioxidase, which paralyzes the oxidizing activity of peroxidase and 

 thus protects chlorophyll from decomposition in the course of the proces's of 

 assimilation. The action of the antioxidase ceases immediately on the addi- 

 tion of antiseptics which destroy the new enzym, and rapid decomposition of 

 chlorophyll follows. 



The effect of the reaction of the medium on the activity of inula se of 

 Aspergillus niger, A. Kizel (Kiesel) {Izv. Imp. Akad. Nauk {Bui. Acad. Imp. 

 Sci. Pctrograd), 6. set., 1915, No. 11, pp. 1011-1092, figs. 3).— The action of 

 inulase extracted from the mycelium of A. niger on inuliu obtained from dahlia 

 roots was tested in the pi-esence of sulphuric, hydrochloric, phosphoric, and 

 acetic acids, sodium nitrate, disodium phosphate, disodium citrate, monosodium 

 phosphate, and monosodium citrate. 



