Isotope Fractionation in Photosynthetic Bacteria during Carbon Dioxide Assimilation

The delta (PDB) (13)C values have been determined for the cellular constituents and metabolic intermediates of autotrophically grown Chromatium vinosum. The isotopic composition of the HCO(3) (-) in the medium and the carbon isotopic composition of the bacterial cells change with the growth of the culture. The delta (PDB) (13)C value of the HCO(3) (-) in the media changes from an initial value of -6.6 per thousand to +8.1 per thousand after 10 days of bacterial growth and the delta (PDB) (13)C value of the bacterial cells change from -37.5 per thousand to -29.2 per thousand in the same period. The amount of carbon isotope fractionation during the synthesis of hexoses by the photoassimilation of CO(2) has a range of -15.5 per thousand at time zero to -22.0 per thousand after 10 days. This range of fractionation compares to the range of carbon isotope fractionation for the synthesis of sugars from CO(2) by ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase and the Calvin cycle.The amount of carbon isotope fractionation during the synthesis of aspartic acid from CO(2) is -24.9 per thousand at time zero and -15.0 per thousand after 10 days of bacterial growth. This amount of fractionation is in the range of carbon isotope fractionation for the synthesis of C(4) amino acids by a double carboxylation through ribulose 1,5-diphosphate and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase.