Studies on the Preparation of a Respiratory Cell-Free Extract of the AlgaChlorella

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Abstract
Various techniques used for the preparation of extracts were investigated, with a view to obtaining a respiratory preparation of Chlorella . Of the methods investigated, drying the cells at 18–20° in vacuo over P 2 O 5 for 20–22 hr. was the only successful one. Suggestions are made to account for the failure of cell-disintegration techniques. The rates of oxidation of organic acids relative to glucose were such that the tricarboxylic-acid cycle may be presumed to occur, but the dependence of rates of oxidation on pH indicated that drying did not eliminate permeability barriers entirely. Simultaneous addition of malate or citrate with pyruvate did not have a catalytic effect on the rate of oxidation. The results indicated, however, that the oxidation pathways of these substances had common steps. Malonate inhibition of succinic acid oxidation could not be demonstrated. Experiments with glucose oxidation showed that the drying process had affected the permeability of the cells rather than their ability to synthesize polysaccharide.