Oxidation of glucose, glycerol and acetate by Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

In microrespiration expts., resting cells of Staphylococcus from the logarithmic period of growth (10-hr. cells) oxidized glycerol and glucose almost completely to CO2 and H2O. Younger organisms (6-hr. cells) oxidized these substrates to acetate, CO2 and H2O. In these products 10% of the glycerol and 15% of the glucose did not appear. Lactate was not formed in appreciable quantity, but synthesis of polysaccharide might account for the missing source of carbon. Encapsulation of young cells favors this explanation, but direct quantitative evidence in its support was not obtained.