ASSAY OF RELATIVE HETEROTROPHIC POTENTIAL IN THE SEA: THE USE OF SPECIFICALLY LABELLED GLUCOSE

Abstract

The glucose dissimilation of a marine pseudomonad was investigated using manometric techniques as well as glucose specifically labelled at different sites. Data from radiorespirometric procedures indicated that some 90% of the glucose catabolized was routed through the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. The observed differences between the amount of carbon assimilated and the amount catabolized were discussed in relation to the heterotrophic uptake method which is currently being applied to problems in aquatic microbial ecology.