Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026

Culture Methods to Determine the Limit of Detection and Survival in Transport Media of Campylobacter Jejuni in Human Fecal Specimens
Published on: March 10, 2020
Pyruvate metabolism in Campylobacter spp
G L Mendz1, G E Ball, D J Meek
1School of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. g.mendz@unsw.edu.au
Abstract:
The metabolism of pyruvate by Campylobacter spp. was investigated employing one- and two-dimensional 1H, 13C and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Metabolically competent cells incubated aerobically with pyruvate yielded acetate, acetolactate, alanine, formate, lactate, and succinate. The production of acetolactate, alanine and lactate indicated the presence of acetohydroxy acid synthase, alanine transaminase and lactate dehydrogenase activities, respectively. Accumulation of acetate and formate as metabolic products provided evidence for the existence of a mixed acid fermentation pathway in the microorganism. Formation of succinate suggested the incorporation of the pyruvate carbon skeleton to the Kreb's cycle, and the observation of pyruvate dehydrogenase activities in bacterial lysates supported this interpretation. Generation of pyruvate from L-serine in incubations with intact cells and lysates indicated the presence of serine dehydratase activity in the bacterium. Pyruvate was also formed in cell suspensions and lysates from phosphoenol pyruvate. The existence of anaplerotic sequences involving phosphoenol pyruvate carboxykinase and a malic enzyme were established in bacterial lysates. The activities of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of isoleucine and valine were measured. Addition of pyruvate to different solid culture media inhibited bacterial growth, and the inhibition was attributed to the accumulation of acetate and formate. The variety of products formed using pyruvate as the sole substrate and the existence of anaplerotic sequences and anabolic pathways which employ pyruvate, showed the important role of this metabolite in the energy and biosynthesis metabolism of Campylobacter spp.
Related Concept Videos
Fates of Pyruvate
In aerobic organisms, pyruvate is metabolized via the citric acid cycle to produce reduced coenzymes NADH and FADH2. These coenzymes are then oxidized in the electron transport chain to produce ATP and, in the process, regenerate the NAD+ and FAD. As seen in some cell types and organisms, fermentation...
Other Glycolytic Pathways
Amino Acid Catabolism
Bacterial Phylum Planctomycetes
Bacterial Phylum Actinobacteria
Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

