Studies on the metabolism of mould fungi

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Abstract
The phosphate absorbed from culture medium is converted by the mycelium of A. niger into acid-hydrolyzable compounds. Two compounds have been isolated in pure form: one was identified as pyrophosphdrie acid and obtained as crystalline Na salt; the other, identified as metaphosphoric acid, probably occurs in the form of a poly-metaphosphate. This is the first time that the isolation of metaphosphate from a natural source has been reported. Chemical and enzymic methods have been developed which, together with the protein precipitation test, make it possible to distinguish metaphosphate and pyrophosphate. Na and NH4 salts of metaphosphoric acid, unlike those of pyrophosphoric acid, are insoluble in 50% ethanol. Barium metaphosphate is precipitated at pH 2, Ba pyrophosphate at pH 5. Pyrophosphate, but not metaphosphate, inhibits the activity of succinic oxidase and is split by pyrophosphatase. Metaphosphate is split by metaphosphatase. Apart from pyrophosphate and metaphosphate, the mycelium of A. niger also contains a difficultly acid-hydrolyzable P compound. This has been obtained in the form of a water-soluble Ba salt.

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