Isolation and Characterization of acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase mutants of Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract

Mutations in the ack (acetate kinase) and pta (phosphotransacetylase) genes in S. typhimurium were characterized and determined to be analogous to those of previously described E. coli mutants. In both bacterial species these genes were cotransducible with the neighboring histidine transport operon and were distally located relative to purF. pta mutants were sensitive to the dye alizarin yellow and were unable to grow on medium containing inositol as a C source. Mutants of both species with deletions covering both the ack and the pta genes were selected; some deletions extended into the histidine transport operon.