Variations in the Transaminase Activity of Escherichia coli Cells During the Lag Phase of Growth.

Abstract

Variations in transaminase activity during the lag growth period of E. coli were investigated using [alpha]-ketoglutaric acid and 8 amino acids as transaminase reactants. A rise was observed in the activities of the following transaminases: valine-glutamic, leucine-glutamic, norvaline-glutamic, norleucine-glutamic and isoleucine-glutamic. The trans-aminase activities rose to a maximum after approximately 40 min of lag growth and remained constant or decreased slightly during the remaining part of the lag phase. Under the experimental conditions the lag phase lasted 50 min. During this time no variations were observed in the activities of the aspartic-, phenylalanine-, and tryptophan-glutamic transaminases.