Extension of the model concerning linkage of genes coding for C-1 related functions in Methylobacterium organophilum

Evidence is presented which suggests that Methylobacterium organophilum contains isoenzymes of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity. Methanol-grown cells contained an acetyl coenzyme A (CoA)-insensitive activity which precipitated in a 65 to 75% of saturation ammonium sulfate fraction. Succinate-grown cells contained an acetyl-CoA-stimulated activity which precipitated in a 55 to 65% of saturation ammonium sulfate fraction. Mutants unable to grow on methanol appeared to lack acetyl-CoA-insensitive activity. This acetyl-CoA-insensitive phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, along with malyl-CoA lyase, is proposed to be encoded by the C-1 operon. The gene for formate dehydrogenase appeared to reside outside the operon and was not inducible by methanol. M. organophilum was unable to grow on formate, and evidence is presented suggesting that formate is unable to induce the enzymes which comprise the serine pathway for formaldehyde fixation. An expanded model for the C-1 operon is presented.