OXIDATIVE ASSIMILATION OF GLUCOSE BY PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA

Duncan, Margaret G. (The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) and J. J. R. Campbell. Oxidative assimilation of glucose by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J. Bacteriol. 84:784-792. 1962-Oxidative assimilation of glucose by washed-cell suspensions of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied using C(14)-labeled substrate. At the time of glucose disappearance, only small amounts of radioactivity were present in the cells, and alpha-ketoglutaric acid accumulated in the supernatant fluid. Most of the material synthesized by the cells during oxidative assimilation was nitrogenous, the ammonia being supplied by the endogenous respiration. The cold trichloroacetic acid-soluble fraction and the lipid fraction appeared to be important during the early stages of oxidative assimilation, and the largest percentage of the incorporated radioactivity was found in the protein fraction. In the presence of added ammonia, assimilation was greatly increased and no alpha-ketoglutaric acid was found in the supernatant fluid. Sodium azide partially inhibited incorporation into all major cell fractions, and at higher concentrations depressed the rate of glucose oxidation. During oxidative assimilation, chloramphenicol specifically inhibited the synthesis of protein. Oxidative assimilation of glucose by this organism did not appear to involve the synthesis of a primary product such as is found in the majority of bacteria.