A further genetic variety of glutamic acid dehydrogenase in Neurospora crassa.

DL-[1-14C]Mevalonic acid lactone (25ILc) was added in sterile water to a flask containing an 8-day culture of P. cyclopium. A second flask was similarly treated with DL[2-L4C]mevalonic acid lactone (10&c). After a further 3 days the flasks were harvested and the palitantin was extracted as before but in neither case did it show any significant activity. In addition the mycelium was Soxhlet-extracted with light petroleum (b.p. 4060°) for 18 hr. and the extract was concentrated to dryness. On assay the crude product from [2-14C]mevalonic acid lactone was significantly active (147 counts/min.), whereas the product from the [1-14C]lactone was only slightly active (26 counts/min.), cf. Table 1. The lipoid fraction was assumed to contain steroidal material, e.g. ergosterol (Thomas, 1955).