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Independent Requirements for ‘Crithidia Factor’ and Folk Acid in a Trypanosomid Flagellate

Abstract

THE trypanosomid parasite of mosquitoes, Crithidia fasciculata Anopheles strain (ATCC 11745), when grown in a defined medium1, required for growth unusually high levels of folic acid. In the presence of ‘crithidia factor’ (an unconjugated pteridine), much lower concentrations of folic acid supported growth; indeed, at times a separate folic acid requirement was not demonstrable2,3. Our collaborators at the American Cyanamid Co. have identified the crithidia factor in human urine as 2:NH2,4:OH,6-dihydroxypropyl pteridine3. In our experiments reported here, both the 6-dihydroxypropyl and a partially purified sample of the 6-trihydroxypropyl pteridine (generously supplied by Dr. E. L. Patterson) were used.

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NATHAN, H., HUTNER, S. & LEVIN, H. Independent Requirements for ‘Crithidia Factor’ and Folk Acid in a Trypanosomid Flagellate. Nature 178, 741–742 (1956). https://doi.org/10.1038/178741a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/178741a0

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