[Functional characteristics of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in bacteria producing lysine]

Phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase, or PEP-c (EC 4.1.1.31), was shown to be the only enzyme catalyzing anaplerotic synthesis of oxalacetic acid in Brevibacterium flavum synthesizing lysine. Acetyl-CoA is required for the operation of PEP-c in the strains. Changes in the activity of PEP-c did not entirely correlate with those of the citric acid cycle enzymes. Hence, PEP-c is involved not only in the citric acid cycle, but also in other functions of the cell. A correlation has been found between changes in the activity of PEP-c, the enzymes of the citric acid cycle and lysine production in B. flavum.