Feb. 1 , 1925 
Decomposition of Proteins and Amino Acids 
273 
SUMMARY 
Organism 
Amino 
acid 
decom¬ 
posed 
Growth 
NHs-N 
Zygorhynchus.. 
Mg. 
59. 58 
Mg. 
204 
Mg. 
13. 65 
Trichoderma__ 
56.14 
218 
14. 28 
Actinomyces... 
82. 74 
169 
13.44 
Bact. fluorescens_ 
73.59 
128 
12 . 02 
In the presence of dextrose in the 
medium, the same process took place 
as with the other amino acids: A larger 
amount of protoplasm was synthesized; 
a larger amount of nitrogen was re¬ 
assimilated, and a smaller amount of 
ammonia was left in the medium. The 
Actinomyces is again an exception; 
it continued to decompose the amirio 
acid with the liberation of ammonia, 
Table V.— The chemistry of decomposition of 1.4 per cent glutamic acid by micro¬ 
organisms, in the presence and absence of dextrose 
Organism 
used 
Dex¬ 
trose 
Age 
of 
cul¬ 
ture 
Total N in 
100 c. c. 
NH 2 —N in 
100 c. c. 
NHs-N 
in 
100 c. c. 
Dextrose in 
100 c. c. 
Dry growth 
pH 
Found 
De¬ 
crease 
from 
control 
Found 
De¬ 
crease 
from 
control 
Found 
Util¬ 
ized 
Weight 
Nitro¬ 
gen 
con¬ 
tent 
Per cent 
Days 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Control. 
None. 
126 . 40 
126. 40 
7.3 
Do_ 
2 
126. 40 
126.40 
1 , 800 
6 . 4 
Zygorhynchus _ 
None. 
15 
122. 24 
4.16 
3. 62 
30 
2.6 
8.4 
Do .. 
2 
15 
104.96 
21.44 
4.12 
65 
1,735 
473 
17. 92 
7.1 
Trichoderma. __ 
None. 
13 
122 . 60 
3. 80 
1. 76 
28 
2.0 
8.2 
Do.... 
2 
13 
94. 64 
31. 76 
3.00 
155 
1,645 
627 
30.49 
6.9 
Actinomyces_ 
None. 
19 
108. 08 
18. 32 
61: 46 
64. 96 
34.04 
141 
11.60 
9.8 
Do_ 
2 
19 
100.16 
26. 24 
89.49 
36. 91 
9.18 
1,080 
720 
350 
27.20 
8.7 
B. cereus_ 
None. 
7 
113.78 
12.62 
0.52 
7.6 
Do........ 
2 
7 
117.04 
9. 36 
1 . 76 
1,710 
90 
5.8 
Bact. fluores- 
cens... 
None. 
7 
86.03 
40. 37 
28. 91 
97. 49 
22. 89 
312 
32. 32 
9.4 
Do.. 
2 
7 
48. 35 
78. 05 
13.68 
112 . 62 
9. 36 
525 
1, 275 
831 
78. 48 
8.9 
Table VI.— The chemistry of decomposition of 1 per cent asparagine by micro¬ 
organisms, in the presence and absence of dextrose 
Organism 
used 
Dex¬ 
trose 
Age 
of 
cul¬ 
ture 
Total N in 
100 c. c. 
NH 2 -N in 
100 c. c. 
NH 3 -N 
in 100 
c. c. 
Dextrose in 
100 c. c. 
Dry growth 
pH 
Found 
De¬ 
crease 
from 
con¬ 
trol 
Found 
De¬ 
crease 
from 
con¬ 
trol 
Found 
Util¬ 
ized 
Weight 
Nitro¬ 
gen 
con¬ 
tent 
Per cent 
Days. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Mg. 
Control_ 
None. 
179. 5 
90.9 
Trace. 
7.0 
Do_ 
2 
179. 5 
93.0 
Trace. 
1,840 
6.4 
Zygorhynchus. 
None. 
6 
177.0 
2.5 
50.40 
21 
1 . 6 
8.0 
Do. 
None. 
9 
174.0 
5. 5 
73.4 
17. 5 
69. 56 
39 
3.04 
8.6 
Do.. 
2 
6 
142.0 
37.5 
71.5 
21.5 
31.30 
60 
1,780 
321 
25.5 
7.0 
Do_ 
2 
9 
155. 0 
24.5 
56.3 
36.7 
83. 56 
; 0 
1,840 
223 
13. 44 
7.7' 
Trichoderma. _. 
None. 
4 
174.0 
5. 5 
80.8 
10.1 
8.31!_ 
18 
7.5- 
Do_ 
None. 
12 
174.0 
5. 5 
84.7 
6 . 2 
74. 66 ! _ 
16 
I 8.6 
Do.. 
2 
4 
137.0 
! 42.5 
67.2 
25.8 
3. 81 
! 670 
1,170 
643 
39.86 
6.4 
Do.... 
2 
12 
134.0 
1 45.5 
48.3 
44.7 
65.12 
! 0 
1,840 
502 
36. 20 
7.9 
Actinomyces_ 
None. 
22 
169.1 
10.4 
77.2 
13. 7 
18.48 
1 
41 
2.83 
7. 7 
Do. 
2 
9 
159.5 
! 20.0 
78.9 
14.1 
5. 76 
j 1,070 
770 
176.5 
17. 87 
6. a 
Do_ 
2 
22 
148.4 
i 31.1 
19.6 
73.4 
65. 76 
! 0 
1,840 
249 
22.58 
8.4 
Do.. 
2 
22 
164.4 
15.1 
71.6 
21.4 
4. 48 
940 
900 
167 
14. 57 
6.0 
B. cereus_ 
None. 
13 
150.0 
29. 5 
56.2 
34.7 
55. 541_ 
17 
8 . 6 
Do_ 
2 
13 
174.0 
5. 5 
72.0 
20.8 
30.64 
j 1,560 
280 
6 . 2 
Bact. fluores¬ 
cens_ 
None. 
3 
156.0 
23. 5 
69.9 
21.0 
86.80 
53 
6.17 
8.6 
Do.. 
None. 
7 
113. 0 
| 66 .5 
28.5 
62.4 
91.90 
8.6 
Do_ 
2 
3 
151.0 
28. 5 
66.2 
26.8 
78.50 
1, 340 
500 
322 
28.64 
8.0 
Do_ 
2 
7 
108. 0 
71.5 
37.0 
56. 0 
64. 50 
50 
1,790 
Lost. 
7.6 
