Pathways of carbohydrate metabolism in mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv1

Radiorespirometric studies using glucose labelled at 1, 2, 3-4, and 6 positions and enzymatic studies were conducted to determine the primary pathways of glucose dissimilation in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. The pattern of 14CO2 recovery was C3-4 greater than C1 greater than C6 = C2. The Embden-Meyerhof pathway was found to be the predominant pathway for glucose oxidation, operative to the extent of 94%. The pentose phosphate pathway accounted for the remaining 6%. Maximum incorporation of 14C into cellular components was from C2 and C6 labelled glucose.