636 PANTOTHENIC ACID 



corn is known to be affected by environmental factors®"' ®* and is markedly 

 affected by stage of maturity (the pantothenic acid level becomes less as 

 the stage of maturity increases).®^ 



It is known that the composition of the soil may affect the vitamin con- 

 tent of a plant. For instance, the pantothenic acid content of oat plants has 

 been reported to be lowered by soils low in phosphorus®'^ or in calcium.®'* 

 Also, a soil high in phosphorus®*" or high in nitrate®* produces oat plants 

 with higher than normal amounts of pantothenic acid. 



3, Effect of Germination and Embryonic Development 



Burkholder^ has reported that the pantothenic acid content of germinated 

 oats, w^heat, barley, and corn seeds is approximately double the content of 

 ungerminated seeds. Similar increases due to germination have also been 

 seen in the pea, the soybean, and the mung bean.^ This increase in the 

 synthesis of pantothenic acid during germination is no doubt a reflection 

 of the increased rate of metabolism, and hence of the requirement for co- 

 enzyme A, in the germinating seed. 



No change occurs in the pantothenic acid content of incubating hen eggs 

 over the course of the entire period of incubation according to Snell and 

 Quarles.^ 



4. Effect of Diet on Tissue Composition 



The pantothenic acid content of tissues may be influenced by the dietary 

 level of pantothenic acid, as well as other substances, although more infor- 

 mation on this subject is needed. In studies with chicks it has been shown 

 that there is a direct correlation between the pantothenic acid content of 

 the diet and the pantothenic acid content of various tissues.^ Deficient 

 chicks had from only 10 to 40 % as much pantothenic acid as normal 

 chicks. Likewise, in studies with hens, it has been determined that the 

 pantothenic acid content of blood, ^"^ ^^ eggs,""^^ and other tissues'" is 

 directly related to that of the diet. A similar relationship between dietary 



«<■ L. Ditzler, C. H. Hunt, and R. M. Bethke, Cereal Chem. 25, 273 (1948). 



^'' C. H. Hunt, L. D. Rodriguez, S. Taylor, and R. M. Bethke, Cereal Chem. 29, 142 



(1952). 

 ^' T. A. McCoy, D. G. Bostwick, and A. C. Devich, Plant Phxjsiol. 26, 784 (1951). 

 fi-'D. S. Bostwick and T. A. McCoy, Proc. Oklahoma Acad. Set. 31, 112 (1950). 

 «« R. Langston, Plant Physiol. 26, 115 (1951). 

 ^ P. R. Burkholder, Science 97, 562 (1943). 

 8 E. E. Snell and E. Quarles, /. Nutrition 22, 483 (1941). 



» E. E. Snell, D. Pennington, and R. J. Williams, J. Biol. Chem. 133, 559 (1940). 

 >" P. B. Pearson and V. H. Mclass, Federation Proc. 5, 237 (1946). 



11 M. B. Gillis, G. F. Heuser, and L. C. Norris, /. Nutrition 35, 351 (1948). 



12 E. E. Snell, E. Aline, J. R. Couch, and P. B. Pearson, /. Nutrition 21, 201 (1941). 

 " P. B. Pearson, V. H. Melass, and R. M. Sherwood, Arch. Biochem. 7, 353 (1945). 



