METABOLISM OF HISTIDINE BY PEPTOCOCCUS AEROGENES

Abstract

Peptococcus aerogenes ferments histidine-α-¹⁴C to acetic, butyric, and formic acids. The distribution of carbon-14 in acetic and butyric acids was consistent with that expected if the urocanic acid pathway was used for the metabolism of histidine. Radioactive glutaconic acid also was isolated from such reaction mixtures. Glutamic acid accumulated when histidine was fermented under sodium-deficient conditions.