AMINO ACID METABOLISM BY PLEUROPNEUMONIALIKE ORGANISMS III

Abstract

Pleuropneumonia-like organisms of human origin do not degrade glutamic acid but convert it to a cyclic compound, [DELTA]1pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid. Conversion of glutamic acid to the pyrroline carboxylate requires the presence of Mg++ and a source of high energy phosphate. Compounds which interfere with phosphorylation inhibit the reaction, indicating the formation of a phosphorylated intermediate. The pyrroline carboxylate is then reduced to proline through the specific mediation of triphosphopyridine nucleotide. The conversion of glutamic acid to proline is analogous to the conversion of aspartic acid to homoserine.