Transport and catabolism of D-fructose by Spirillum itersomii

Spirillum itersonii ATCC 12639 utilized d-fructose but neither d-glucose nor d-gluconate as a sole source of carbon and energy. The substrate saturation kinetics for d-fructose and d-glucose uptake by whole cells indicated the presence of a carrier-mediated transport system for d-fructose but not for d-glucose. The d-fructose uptake activity was induced (10- to 12-fold increase) during growth on d-fructose-Casamino Acids (CA) or d-glucose-CA medium, but not CA alone. d-Fructose uptake activity was stimulated by Na(+) or Li(+), but was inhibited by KCN, NaN(3), 2,4-dinitrophenol, and p-chloromercuribenzoate. High specific activities of glucokinase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydratase, and 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate aldolase were detected in extracts of cells cultured on d-fructose-CA medium. These enzymatic activities were undetectable in extracts of cells grown in CA or succinate-CA medium. No decrease in the maximally induced specific activities of these enzymes occurred after the addition of succinate to cells during exponential growth on d-fructose-CA. Fructose 1,6-diphosphate aldolase and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase specific activities were approximately the same irrespective of cultural conditions. These results indicated that d-glucose was not utilized by cells of S. itersonii because this bacterium was impermeable to this hexose.