Abstract
INVESTIGATION of the form of vitamin B12 in human blood plasma by chromatographic-bioautographic analysis revealed as the major component a ‘fourth factor’ besides DMB coenzyme (coenzyme B12) and traces of hydroxo-cobalamin and cyanocobalamin1. This factor was also found in liver, E. coli and Streptomyces rimosus. In order to identify this analogue we have tried to isolate it from a natural source material rich in coenzyme B12 and have found good evidence that this analogue is methyl-cobalamin. Methylcobalamin was prepared by partial synthesis a couple of years ago2 and was shown by Guest et al.3 to be active in the enzymatic synthesis of methionine by extracts of an Escherichia coli mutant. However, methylcobalamin has not previously been shown to occur naturally.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lindstrand, K., and Ståhlberg, K. G., Acta Med. Scand., 174, 665 (1963).
Lester Smith, E., Mervyn, L., Johnson, A. W., and Shaw, N., Nature, 194, 1175 (1962).
Guest, J. R., Friedman, S., Woods, D. D., and Lester Smith, E., Nature 195, 340 (1962).
Barker, H. A., Smyth, R. D., Weissbach, H., Munch-Petersen, A., Toohey, J. T., Ladd, J. N., Volcani, B. E., and Wilson, R. M., J. Biol. Chem., 235, 181 (1960).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
LINDSTRAND, K. Isolation of Methylcobalamin from Natural Source Material. Nature 204, 188–189 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1038/204188a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/204188a0
This article is cited by
-
Vitamin B12 transport from food to the body's cells—a sophisticated, multistep pathway
Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology (2012)
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.