Abstract
Lactobacillus arabinosus and a methionine-stimulated mutant of Escherichia coll incorporate appreciable amounts of methyl C from exogenous methionine-methyl-C-14. In each species, 20 to 25% of the total radioactivity in the cells was contained in the mixed cellular fatty acids. Chromatographic analysis showed that there was a selective accumulation of methionine methyl C in the C18-19 fraction of L. arabinosus and in the chromatographic fraction of E. coli acids that is usually found to contain palmitic acid. The possible involvement of one-C transfers in the bacterial synthesis of certain fatty acids is discussed.

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