[Metabolic mechanism of adenine nucleotide synthesis from exogenous adenine in corynebacteria]

The purpose of this work was to study the activity of the key enzymes of intermediate metabolism in cultures belonging to several genera of coryneform bacteria, either capable or incapable of producing adenylic nucleotides from exogenous adenine. The results are indicative of an increase in the activity of polyphosphate-dependent hexokinase by the stationary growth phase in corynebacteria; in contrast, the activity of the enzyme in coryneform bacteria (rhodococci) remained unchanged. The absence of transketolase activity in the producing strains seems to account for the overproduction of ribose-5-phosphate.