AMINO ACID METABOLISM BY PLEUROPNEUMONIALIKE ORGANISMS II. Glutamine

Abstract

Two reactions involving deamidation of glutamine were demonstrated. The first, requiring Mg++, inorganic phosphate, and adenosinediphosphate, mediates the formation of adeno-sinetriphosphate, and may be coupled with hexokinase and glucose to result in a large uptake of inorganic phosphate. The reaction is reversi ble but the equilibrium favors adenosinetriphosphate formation. Opti mum pH is 6.0-6.5. The typical arsenolysis reaction can be demon strated. The 2d reaction is a simple hydrolytic deamidation, requires no cofactor, is inhibited by bromosulfalein, and has an optimum pH of 8 0. Both reactions appear specific for glutamine. The first reaction apparently is significant in generation of high energy bonds in pleuro-pneumonia-like organisms since relatively large amounts of glutamine are required for growth and equilibrium greatly favors adenosine triphosphate formation.