METABOLISM OF GLYCEROL BY AN ACROLEIN-FORMING LACTO-BACILLUS

Abstract
Resting cell suspensions of acrolein-producing Lactobacillus sp. 208-A of Serjak, et al. 1954 produces trimethylene glycol and [beta]-hydroxypropionic acid from glycerol. If glucose is present only trimethylene glycol is formed, but acetate replaces ethanol as the 2-carbon fragment from glucose. Evidence indicates that [beta]-hydroxypropionaldehyde is the intermediate between glycerol and trimethylene glycol and, without a hydrogen donor (such as glucose), [beta]-hydroxypropionaldehyde dismutates to trimethylene glycol and [beta]-hydroxypropionic acid. [beta]-hydroxy-pyopionaldehyde, when heated (as in distillation), dehydrates to acrolein and accounts for the acrolein found in culture liquors.