THE INHIBITORY EFFECT OF GLUCOSE ON CERTAIN AMINO ACID DEAMINASES

Abstract

Glucose in growth media markedly decreases the production of NH3 from aspartic acid, serine, and threonine by Escherichia coli (86-G) and Bacterium cadaveris (Gale). Restoration of deaminase activity can be observed upon the addition of biotin, adenylic acid, and yeast or liver extract to resting cell suspensions or by the incorporation of these agents into the growth media in the presence of glucose. The results of these experiments suggest that preformed apoenzyme is present; glucose either prevents the formation of the coenzyme of these deaminases or causes its destruction.