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J Bacteriol. 1973 November; 116(2): 931-937
Copyright © 1973 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Glucose and Pyruvate Metabolism of Spirochaeta litoralis, an Anaerobic Marine Spirochete

^a Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01002

ABSTRACT

The pathways of glucose and pyruvate metabolism in Spirochaeta litoralis, a free-living, strictly anaerobic marine spirochete, were studied. Addition of 0.2 to 0.4 M NaCl (final concentration) to suspending buffers prevented cell lysis and was necessary for gas evolution from various substrates by cell suspensions. The organism fermented glucose mainly to ethanol, acetate, CO₂, and H₂. Determination of radioactivity in products formed from ¹⁴C-labeled glucose and assays of enzymatic activities in cell extracts indicated that S. litoralis catabolized glucose via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway. A clostridial-type clastic reaction was utilized by the spirochete to degrade pyruvate to acetyl-coenzyme A, CO₂, and H₂. Formation of acetate from acetyl-coenzyme A was catalyzed by phosphotransacetylase and acetate kinase. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent acetaldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenases converted acetyl-coenzyme A to ethanol. A reversible hydrogenase activity was detected in cell extracts. S. litoralis cell extracts contained a rubredoxin similar in spectral properties to other bacterial rubredoxins.

¹ Present address: Department of Bacteriology, University of California, Los Angeles, Calif. 90024.

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