[Study of nucleotide biosynthesis by cultured Brevibacterium ammoniagenes using P31 nuclear magnetic resonance...

Using P31 nuclear magnetic resonance, transformations of phosphorous compounds by the culture Brevibacterium ammoniagenes ATCC 6872 in the course of fermentation aimed at the synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide were investigated. It was found that the NAD synthesis by the cells treated with surface active substances was markedly influenced by the presence of a small (initial) ATP quantity and was unaffected by an addition of the synthetic polyphosphate (n-40). It was demonstrated that the cells which were not treated with surface active substances contained orthophosphate, carbohydrate monophosphates, and minor quantities of nucleoside triphosphates, polyphosphates, mono- and dinucleotides. After treatment with surface active substances the cells lost these compounds. It is suggested that polyphosphates of the cell and adenosine monophosphate synthesized during its autolysis may enhance the recovery of the ATP level required to trigger glycolysis which serves as the major producer of ATP in the absence of oxidative phosphorylation.