Since Hopkins and Cole (1) demonstrated the formation of indole from tryptophan by Bacterium coli, numerous investigators have attempted to find the mechanism of this reaction (2-5). At least three mechanisms have been suggested. Woods (3) postulated an oxidat,ive degradation of tryptophan to yield indole, carbon dioside, water, and ammonia, 5 atoms of oxygen being used in the process. Baker an...

The prevalence of indole-positive organisms in the gut and environment of marine animals was studied. Indole formation by a group of the isolates was found to occur only in the presence of tryptophan. The isolates examined were all assigned to the genus Vibrio.

Earlier studies from this and other laboratories have shown that the presence of glucose inhibits the formation of certain inducible enzymes in bacteria (Boyd and Lichstein, 1955; Magasanik, 1957). This phenomenon is not specific to glucose, but rather is shared by other carbohydrates utilized by the bacterial cells. Although several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this carbohydrate ef...