UTILIZATION OF L-α-GLYCEROPHOSPHATE BY ESCHERICHIA COLI WITHOUT HYDROLYSIS

Abstract

L-a-glycerophosphate is an intermediate in the pathway of adaptive glycerol utilization in E coli K10. A mutant strain without alkaline phosphatase was able to grow on L-[alpha]-glycerophosphate, although not on D-[alpha]-gly-cerophosphate or [beta]-glycerophosphate. Extracts of cells of this mutant grown on L-[alpha]-glycerophosphate did not contain a specific phosphatase for this compound. A mutant that lacked both alkaline phosphatase and glycerol kinase could not grow on free glycerol, but could grow on L-[alpha]-glycerophosphate at a rate equal to that on glycerol in the parent strain with the glycerol kinase. This phosphorylated compound enters the cells without prior hydrolysis to free glycerol.