Analytical characterization of peptide contaminants of L-tryptophan.
Reversed-phase liquid chromatographic fractions of extracts of 2 preparations of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS)-associated L-tryptophan were analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, mass spectrometry, microbial-growth inhibition, and amino acid residue analyses. Fraction components demonstrated properties of an antibiotic peptide resembling bacitracin. Many peptide antibiotics like bacitracin are secondary metabolites of Bacillus species, genus of the tryptophan producer organism for the implicated manufacturer. In order to determine whether a correlation exists between individual EMS cases and the concentration of peptides or bacitracin consumed, reliable methods must be developed for quantification of the total of isoforms.
Barnhart
E R
ER
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Center for Environmental Health, Atlanta, Georgia 30341-3724, USA.
Maggio
V L
VL
Alexander
L R
LR
Reilly
M C
MC
Gelbaum
L T
LT
Turner
W E
WE
Hine
T K
TK
Needham
L L
LL
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis*; D001407:Bacillus / Q000378:metabolism; D001414:Bacitracin / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004340:Drug Contamination; D016603:Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D016339:Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry*
D000596:Amino Acids; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001414:Bacitracin; D014364:Tryptophan