COMPARATIVE CATABOLISM OF CARBOHYDRATES IN PSEUDOMONAS SPECIES

Abstract

The catabolisms of acetate, pyruvate and glucose in 4 Pseudomonas species. Zymomonas mobilis, Pseudomonas saccharophila, Pseudomonas reptilivora and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were studied radiorespirometrically employing acetate-1; and -2-C14 , pyruvate-1-, -2- and -3-C14 and glucose-1-, -2-, -3(4)- and -6-C14 asthe tracing substrates. The rates and yields of C14O2 production from the respective substrates indicated that the Entner-Doudoroff pathways plays a predominant role for the primary degradation of glucose in these pseudomonads. The operation of the pentose-phosphate pathway is estimated to account for 28% and 29% of the administered glucose in P. reptilivora and P. aeruginosa respectively.