[Enzymes of the phosphogluconate pathway in amebas]

Glucose-6-phosphate and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenases (G6PD and 6PGD) are revealed in Amoeba proteus by electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels, thus proving the availability of the phosphogluconic pathway in amoebae. 6PGD is marked as a single band, and G6PD shows multiple banding. When an amoebic homogenate is obtained using Triton-100, a supplementary form of G6PD extracted from membranes of some cell organelles (presumably mitochondria) becomes apparent. Hexose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase seems to be absent and therefore all the G6PD forms found may be specific G6PDs proper.