Metabolism of Thioctic Acid in Algae

Thioctic acid labeled with sulfur-35 has been prepared and i t s metabolism b y algae has been studied. It i s converted by the algae into a number of forms, all of which upon hydrolysis yield either the disulfide o r i t s sulfoxide. One of these constituted the major portion of the labeled material in the chloroplasts. Aerobic metabolism for some minutes i s required to produce this form. Preliminary studies of the chemical nature of this form suggest i t to be esterified on the carboxyl group with a moiety of very high lipid solubility