This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Eisenberg, R. C. Articles by Dobrogosz, W. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Eisenberg, R. C. Articles by Dobrogosz, W. J.

Gluconate Metabolism in Escherichia coli¹

^a Department of Microbiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

ABSTRACT

On the basis of information available in the literature, gluconate dissimilation in Escherichia coli is thought to occur via the hexose monophosphate pathway. Evidence is presented in this study that gluconate is catabolized in this organism via an inducible Entner-Doudoroff pathway. This evidence is based on chromatographic examination of end products produced from ¹⁴C-labeled gluconate or glucose, distribution of ¹⁴C in the carbon atoms of pyruvate formed from specifically labeled ¹⁴C-glucose and ¹⁴C-gluconate, and the ability of cell-free extracts to produce pyruvate from 6-phosphogluconate. Degradation of gluconate by an Entner-Doudoroff pathway occurred simultaneously with a glycolytic cleavage of glucose. A relationship between gluconate-induced, Entner-Doudoroff pathway activity and catabolism of glucose in Escherichia coli and other bacterial species is discussed.

² Present address: Department of Dairy Science, University of Illinois, Urbana.

¹ Contribution from the North Carolina Agricultural Experiment Station, Raleigh. Published with the approval of the Director of Research as Paper No. 2297 of the Journal Series. This work is part of a dissertation submitted by the senior author in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree from the North Carolina State University.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Fuhrer, T., Fischer, E., Sauer, U. (2005). Experimental Identification and Quantification of Glucose Metabolism in Seven Bacterial Species. J. Bacteriol. 187: 1581-1590 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Wanken, A. E., Conway, T., Eaton, K. A. (2003). The Entner-Doudoroff Pathway Has Little Effect on Helicobacter pylori Colonization of Mice. Infect. Immun. 71: 2920-2923 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
• Peekhaus, N., Conway, T. (1998). What's for Dinner?: Entner-Doudoroff Metabolism in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 180: 3495-3502 [Full Text]  
• Peekhaus, N., Conway, T. (1998). Positive and Negative Transcriptional Regulation of the Escherichia coli Gluconate Regulon Gene gntT by GntR and the Cyclic AMP (cAMP)-cAMP Receptor Protein Complex. J. Bacteriol. 180: 1777-1785 [Abstract] [Full Text]