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A novel pathway of glucose catabolism in Thiobacillus novellus

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Abstract

Phosphoketolase (E.C. 4.1.2.9) was found in crude extracts of Thiobacillus novellus (ATCC 8093) with a specific activity of 0.070 μmol triose formed min-1 (mg protein)-1. The pH optimum, 6.0, temperature optimum, 43° C, and K m , 4.27 mM, are in good agreement with values observed for phosphoketolase from other organisms.

The level of phosphoketolase in lithotrophically grown T. novellus was observed to be much lower, 0.002 μmol triose formed min-1 (mg protein)-1 than the level in heterotrophically grown cells.

T. thioparus, a lithotroph, and T. intermedius, a mixotroph, were examined and found not to contain phosphoketolase. T. A2, a mixotroph reported to be very similar to T. novellus, was examined and found to have about 20% of the level of phosphoketolase as that seen in heterotrophically grown T. novellus.

Fructose-6-phosphate was examined as a possible alternate substrate but was found not to be enzymatically cleaved in our system.

It therefore appears that T. novellus utilizes a previously unknown combination of a partially complete hexose monophosphate pathway, the phosphoketolase reaction, and a partially complete Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway, in conjunction with the Krebs Cycle, for glucose catabolism.

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Greenley, D.E., Smith, D.W. A novel pathway of glucose catabolism in Thiobacillus novellus . Arch. Microbiol. 122, 257–261 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411288

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00411288

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