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BACTERIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 



020^140^2' (^'t^rotic, C26H52O2, phthioic, ('26^5202, myiistic, 

 C30H60O2, and isocetinic acids have also been reported 

 as occurring in the fats of bacteria. 



Tlie acid-fast ])acteria contain the following fatty 

 acids in the acetone soluble fat fraction (Table 23) : — 



Table 23 

 ( After R. J . Ayiderson) 



Tuberculostearic acid is a liquid, saturated, fatty acid, 



CH3 

 very probably 10-methylstearic acid, | 



CH3(CH2)7CH. 

 (CH2)8COOH. It is optically inactive and has m.p. 

 10-1 1°C. Phthioic acid is also a liquid saturated fatty 

 acid with a branched chain having m.p. 20°C. and [a]^D-f- 

 12-6°. From a study of X-ray diffraction and the areas 

 of monomolecular films it is likely that phthioic acid is 

 constituted as 



CH3(CH2)j/- 

 CH3(CH,)2, 



\ 



-C.COOH 



