The Relation of Pantothenic Acid to Acetylcholine Formation by a Strain of Lactobacillus plantarum

SUMMARY: Pantothenic acid was essential for the growth of a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum. It increased acetylcholine formation during growth and in washed suspensions of pantothenate-deficient organisms. Added pantothenic acid did not affect the glucose utilization or lactic acid formation by the pantothenate-deficient organism in washed suspension.

The co-enzyme concerned in acetylation of choline in brain and of sulphanil-amide in liver has been shown to contain pantothenic acid (Lipmann, Kaplan, Novelli, Tuttle & Guirard, 1947). At the suggestion of Dr Lipmann, pantothenic acid was tested as a factor in the synthesis of acetylcholine by a strain of Lactobacillus plantarum. It proved to be essential both for acetylcholine formation and for growth (Stephenson & Rowatt, 1947). This paper contains a more detailed examination of the phenomenon.