Abstract
Serum albumin is a protective bacterial growth factor; by binding traces of fatty acid in the media it permits initiation of growth by the smallest possible inocula of tubercle bacilli. Each molecule of albumin binds 3 to 6 molecules of oleic acid (1 to 2 per cent of the weight of the albumin) tightly enough to prevent bacteriostasis, and 9 molecules of oleic acid in equilibrium with a saturated neutral solution. The property requires undenatured albumin. Crystalline β-lactoglobulin has a smaller capacity, and a number of other proteins no perceptible capacity to bind oleic acid. The inhibitory effect of the commercial product Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate) on the growth of small inocula of tubercle bacilli in liquid media is caused by its content of unesterified oleic acid (0.6 per cent by weight). Purified Tween 80, freed of this contaminating fatty acid, not only permits growth of small inocula, but protects against small amounts of added oleic acid. The implications of the binding capacity of albumin for its possible physiological significance in the animal body (transport; protection against cytotoxins), and for the structure of the protein, are briefly discussed.
Full Text
The Full Text of this article is available as a PDF (758.6 KB).
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Baker Z., Harrison R. W., Miller B. F., Technical Assistance of Robert Wexler INHIBITION BY PHOSPHOLIPIDS OF THE ACTION OF SYNTHETIC DETERGENTS ON BACTERIA. J Exp Med. 1941 Nov 30;74(6):621–637. doi: 10.1084/jem.74.6.621. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Cohn E. J., Oncley J. L., Strong L. E., Hughes W. L., Armstrong S. H. CHEMICAL, CLINICAL, AND IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON THE PRODUCTS OF HUMAN PLASMA FRACTIONATION. I. THE CHARACTERIZATION OF THE PROTEIN FRACTIONS OF HUMAN PLASMA. J Clin Invest. 1944 Jul;23(4):417–432. doi: 10.1172/JCI101508. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Davis B. D. THE BINDING OF SULFONAMIDE DRUGS BY PLASMA PROTEINS. A FACTOR IN DETERMINING THE DISTRIBUTION OF DRUGS IN THE BODY. J Clin Invest. 1943 Sep;22(5):753–762. doi: 10.1172/JCI101448. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dubos R. J., Davis B. D. FACTORS AFFECTING THE GROWTH OF TUBERCLE BACILLI IN LIQUID MEDIA. J Exp Med. 1946 Apr 30;83(5):409–423. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Dubos R. J. THE EFFECT OF LIPIDS AND SERUM ALBUMIN ON BACTERIAL GROWTH. J Exp Med. 1947 Jan 1;85(1):9–22. doi: 10.1084/jem.85.1.9. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Gould R. G., Kane L. W., Mueller J. H. On the Growth Requirements of Neisseria Gonorrhoeae. J Bacteriol. 1944 Mar;47(3):287–292. doi: 10.1128/jb.47.3.287-292.1944. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lamar R. V. CHEMO-IMMUNOLOGICAL STUDIES ON LOCALIZED INFECTIONS : SECOND PAPER: LYSIS OF THE PNEUMOCOCCUS AND HEMOLYSIS BY CERTAIN FATTY ACIDS AND THEIR ALKALI SOAPS. J Exp Med. 1911 Mar 1;13(3):380–386. doi: 10.1084/jem.13.3.380. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Ley H. L., Jr, Mueller J. H. On the Isolation from Agar of an Inhibitor for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. J Bacteriol. 1946 Oct;52(4):453–460. doi: 10.1128/jb.52.4.453-460.1946. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Peterson W. H., Peterson M. S. RELATION OF BACTERIA TO VITAMINS AND OTHER GROWTH FACTORS. Bacteriol Rev. 1945 Jun;9(2):49–109. doi: 10.1128/br.9.2.49-109.1945. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Powelson D. M., McCarter J. R. Serum Albumin as a Food for Human Tubercle Bacilli. J Bacteriol. 1944 Oct;48(4):479–481. doi: 10.1128/jb.48.4.479-481.1944. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tompsett R., Shultz S., McDermott W. The Relation of Protein Binding to the Pharmacology and Antibacterial Activity of Penicillins X, G, Dihydro F, and K. J Bacteriol. 1947 May;53(5):581–595. doi: 10.1128/jb.53.5.581-595.1947. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]