Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

BT, A New Vitamin of the B-Group and its Relation to the Folic Acid Group, and Other Anti-AnÆmia Factors

Abstract

THE mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, has recently been shown to be a very suitable test subject for folic acid and certain other, still unidentified B-factors. When grown on an artificial diet consisting of casein (20 parts), glucose (80 parts), water-insoluble fraction from yeast (2·5 parts), cholesterol (1 part), a salt mixture (2 parts), and aneurin, ribo-flavin, nicotinic acid, pyridoxin, pantothenic acid, choline chloride and inositol in ample amounts, at least two more factors are essential for growth and survival, folic acid and a factor contained in a norite filtrate from yeast or liver extract1,2. In view of the present interest in the folic acid group and its relation to anti-anaemia principles, our recent results on the mealworm may be of general interest. Throughout this report the term folic acid has been used to denote pteroylglutamie acid.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Fraenkel, G., and Blewett, M., Nature, 157, 697 (1946).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fraenkel, G., and Blewett, M., Biochem. J., 41, 469 (1947).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Welch, A. D., Heinle, R. W., Nelson, E. M., and Nelson, H. V., J. Biol. Chem., 164, 787 (1946).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jukes, T. H., and Stokstad, E. L. R., J. Biol. Chem., 168, 563 (1947).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, G. W., Amer. J. Med. Sci., 209, 520 (1945).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stokstad, E. L. R., and Jukes, T. H., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 62, 112 (1946).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pfiffner, J. J., Binkley, S. B., Bloom, E. S., and O‘Dell, B. L., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 69, 1476 (1947).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Golberg, L., De Meillon, B., and Murray, J. F., Nature, 160, 22 (1947).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jaffé, W. G., and Elvehjem, C. A., J. Biol. Chem., 169, 287 (1947).

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woolley, D. W., and Sprince, H., J. Biol. Chem., 157, 447 (1945).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schumacher, A. E., Heuser, G. F., and Norris, L. C., J. Biol. Chem., 154, 713 (1940).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hill, F. W., Thesis, Cornell University, 1944 (quoted from Scott et al., 1946)23.

  • Charkey, L. W., Thesis, Cornell University, 1945 (quoted from Scott et al., 1946)23.

  • Scott, M. L., Norris, L. C., and Heuser, G. F., J. Biol. Chem., 167, 261 (1947).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cooperman, J. M., Elvehjem, C. A., McCall, K. B., and Ruegamer, W. R., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 61, 92 (1946).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cooperman, J. M., Ruegamer, W. R., Sneell, E. E., and Elvehjem, C. A., J. Biol. Chem., 163, 769 (1946).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Luckey, T. D., Moore, P. R., Elvehjem, C. A., and Hart, E. B., Proc. Soc. Exp. Biol. Med., 62, 307 (1946).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Petering, H. G., Marvel, J. P., Glausier, C. E., Jr., and Waddell, L., J. Biol. Chem., 162, 477 (1946).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wills, L., Proc. Nutrition Soc., 4, 140 (1946).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, M. L., Norris, L. C., Heuser, G. F., and Bruce, W. F., J. Biol. Chem., 158, 291 (1945).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hutchings, B. L., Oleson, J. J., and Stokstad, E. L. R., J. Biol. Chem., 163, 447 (1946).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, C. J., Brown, R. A., Bird, O. D., and Emmet, A. D., J. Nutrition, 32, 423 (1946).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, M. L., Norris, L. C., Charkey, L. W., Daniel, L. J., and Heuser, G. F., J. Biol. Chem., 164, 403 (1946).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

FRAENKEL, G., BLEWETT, M. & COLES, M. BT, A New Vitamin of the B-Group and its Relation to the Folic Acid Group, and Other Anti-AnÆmia Factors. Nature 161, 981–983 (1948). https://doi.org/10.1038/161981a0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/161981a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing