Studies in the biochemistry of micro-organisms

Abstract

ALSBERG AND BLACK [1913] described a new mould metabolic product, penicilic acid, C8H1004, which they isolated from cultures of Penicillium puberulum Bainier. Birkinshaw et al. [1936] have recently reported that cultures of Alsberg and Black's strain of P. puberulum which, in their hands, gave moderate yields of penicillic acid some seven years ago, no longer produced any penicillic acid in 1933. Search was therefore made for other strains of P. puberulum. It was found that Morgan [1933] and Moir [1933] had recorded that this species of fungus is frequently met with in certain discolorations of New Zealand cheese. Through the good offices of the High Commissioner for New Zealand we were able to obtain three different strains of the organism, isolated by Messrs G. F. V. Morgan and J. 0. C. Neill from New Zealand Cheddar cheese, and believed by them to be strains of P. puberulum.