Science: Biotin Mystery Solved

Solved at last is another great scientific mystery: the structure of the most powerful known chemical—biotin, a rare, growth-promoting vitamin of the B-complex group. Significance: knowledge of its structure may well lead to synthetic manufacture of biotin. So far not more than one-tenth of an ounce of pure biotin has been isolated. Cost: more than $400,000.

Biotin is so potent that it stimulates the growth of yeast cells even when diluted to one part in 500,000,000,000. One gram dissolved in 25,000,000 gallons of water is enough to meet the vital needs of bacteria. All higher forms of life, including man, also need tiny amounts of biotin for such vital functions as cellular respiration and growth.

This fantastic vitamin was isolated in 1936 by Professor Fritz Kögl of Utrecht, Holland but Biochemist Vincent Du Vigneaud of Cornell and his colleagues identified it as an animal vitamin in 1940. The possible molecular patterns ran into millions. Last January, Dr. Du Vigneaud and colleagues were able to announce that the possible molecular patterns had been reduced to five; then when the position of the nitrogen atoms was ascertained, these were cut to two.