Abstract
Summary
Brucella suis utilized either L-cystine, L-cystathionine, or L- or D-methionine as sole sulfur source in an asparagine-lactate medium. DL-homocystine? DL-homocysteine, and DL-homocysteine thiolactone also were utilized under the same conditions, but only to a degree related to their methionine content. Purified preparations of DL-homocystine were not utilized except in the presence of small quantities of supplementary methionine. D-, L-, and DL-methionine were equally effective in promoting utilization of DL-homocystine, and their effect increased to a maximum over a range from 1 to 20 millimicrograms of methionine sulfur per ml. Oxidized casein hydrolysate and methionine sulfone inhibited the activity of D-methionine. The mode of action of methionine and the possible significance of these observations are considered from the standpoint of the inter-mediacy of homocysteine in sulfur transformations.
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