Skip to main content
Log in

Efficiency of CO2 fixation in a glycollate oxidoreductase mutant of Alcaligenes eutrophus which exports fixed carbon as glycollate

  • Published:
Archives of Microbiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Mutant strains of the facultative autotrophic bacterium Alcaligenes eutrophus blocked in glycollate utilization were isolated and characterized. One of the strains, AE161, which lacked glycollate oxidoreductase activity, excreted up to 1.2μmol glycollate/mg cell protein per hour during autotrophic growth. This mutant strain was used to study the efficiency of CO2 fixation in terms of how much of the fixed carbon was excreted as glycollate under different conditions. Glycollate excretion was not detected during heterotrophic growth. Only 1% of the total CO2 fixed was excreted as glycollate in an atmosphere of 4% CO2 plus 20% O2. The rate of glycollate excretion showed a large increase and CO2 fixation decreased as the CO2 concentration was lowered. Almost half (40–50%) of the total CO2 fixed was excreted as glycollate in an atmosphere of 0.07% CO2 plus 20% O2.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

HPMS:

2-pyridyl-hydroxymethane sulphonic acid

RuBP:

ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate

References

  • Andersen, K.: Mutations altering the catalytic activity of a plant-type ribulose biphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase in Alcaligenes eutrophus. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 585, 1–11 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Andersen, K., King, W. R., Valentine, R. C.: Catalytic mutants of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase. In: Photosynthetic carbon assimilation (Siegelman, H. W., Hind, G., eds.), pp. 379–390. New York: Plenum Press 1978

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, T. J., Lorimer, G. H.: Photorespiration: Still unavoidable? FEBS Lett. 90, 1–9 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Asami, S., Akazawa, T.: Biosynthetic mechanism of glycollate in Chromatium 6. Glycollate formation and metabolism under low O2. Plant Cell Physiol. 19, 1353–1361 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Badger, M. R., Andrews, T. J.: Effects of CO2 and O2, and temperature on a high affinity form of ribulose diphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase from spinach. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 60, 204–210 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Berry, J. A., Boynton, J., Kaplan, A., Badger, M. R.: Growth and photosynthesis of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a function of CO2 concentration. Carnegie Institute Yearbook 75, 423–432 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bleiweis, A. S., Reeves, H. C., Ajl, S. J.: Rapid separation of some common intermediates of microbiol metabolism by thin-layer chromatography. Anal. Biochem. 20, 335–338 (1967)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowes, G., Ogren, W. L., Hageman, R. H.: Phosphoglycolate production catalyzed by ribulose diphosphate carboxylase. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 45, 716–722 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowien, B., Mayer, F.: Further studies on the quaternary structure of d-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from Alcaligenes eutrophus. Eur. J. Biochem. 88, 97–107 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowien, B., Mayer, F., Codd, G. A., Schlegel, H. G.: Purification, some properties, and quaternary structure of the d-ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase of Alcaligenes eutrophus. Arch. Microbiol. 110, 157–166 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Calkins, V. P.: Microdetermination of glycolic and oxalic acids. Ind. Engng. Chem. Anal. Ed. 15, 762–763 (1943)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, K. H., Miller, A. G., Colman, B.: An investigation of glycolate excretion in two species of blue-green algae. Planta (Berl.) 103, 110–116 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Chollet, R.: The biochemistry of photorespiration. Trends Biochem. Sci. 2, 155–159 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Codd, G. A., Bowien, B., Schlegel, H. G.: Glycollate production and excretion in Alcaligenes eutrophus. Arch. Microbiol. 110, 167–171 (1976)

    Google Scholar 

  • Codd, G. A., Smith, B. M.: Glycollate formation and excretion by the purple photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum. FEBS Lett. 48, 105–108 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, Y., de Jonge, I., Kuenen, J. G.: Excretion of glycolate by Thiobacillus neapolitanus grown in continuous culture. Arch. Microbiol. 122, 189–197 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Drews, G.: Untersuchungen zur Regulation der Bakteriochlorophyll-Synthese bei Rhodospirillum rubrum. Arch. Mikrobiol. 51, 186–198 (1965)

    Google Scholar 

  • Döhler, G., Braun, F.: Untersuchung der Beziehung zwischen extracellulärer Glykolsäure-Ausscheidung und der photosynthetischen CO2-Aufnahme bei der Blaualge Anacystis nidulans. Planta (Berl.) 98, 357–361 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Halldal, P., Holmen, Aa. T.: The interrelationship between photosynthetic electron transport, glycolate excretion and amino acid metabolism in the blue-green alga Anacystis nidulans. Plant Cell Physiol. 20, 757–763 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Han, T.-W., Eley, J. H.: Glycolate excretion by Anacystis nidulans: Effect of bicarbonate concentration, oxygen concentration and light intensity. Plant Cell Physiol. 14, 285–291 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Jensen, R. G., Bahr, J. T.: Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylaseoxygenase. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 28, 379–400 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ku, S. B., Edwards, G. E.: Oxygen inhibition of photosynthesis. I. Temperature dependence and relation to O2/CO2 solubility ratio. Plant Physiol. 59, 986–990 (1977a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ku, S. B., Edwards, G. E.: Oxygen inhibition of photosynthesis. II. Kinetic characteristics as affected by temperature. Plant Physiol. 59, 991–999 (1977b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuehn, G. D., McFadden, B. A.: Ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase from Hydrogenomonas eutropha and Hydrogenomonas facilis. I. Purification, metallic ion requirements, inhibition, and kinetic constants. Biochemistry 8, 2394–2402 (1969a)

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuehn, G. D., McFadden, B. A.: Ribulose 1,5-diphosphate carboxylase from Hydrogenomonas eutropha and Hydrogenomonas facilis. II. Molecular weight, subunits, composition, and sulfhydryl groups. Biochemistry 8, 2403–2408 (1969b)

    Google Scholar 

  • Laing, W. A., Ogren, W. L., Hageman, R. H.: Regulation of soybean net photosynthetic CO2 fixation by the interaction of CO2, O2, and ribulose-1,5-diphosphate carboxylase. Plant Physiol. 54, 678–685 (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lord, J. M.: Glycolate oxidoreductase in Escherichia coli. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 267, 227–237 (1972)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorimer, G. H., Andrews, T. J., Tolbert, N. E.: Ribulose diphosphate oxygenase. II. Further proof of reaction products and mechanism of action. Biochemistry 12, 18–23 (1973)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorimer, G. H., Krause, G. H., Berry, J. A.: The incorporation of [18O] oxygen into glycollate by intact chloroplasts. FEBS Lett. 78, 199–202 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Lorimer, G. H., Osmond, C. B., Akazawa, T., Asami, S.: On the mechanism of glycolate synthesis by Chromatium and Chlorella. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 185, 49–56 (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  • McFadden, B. A.: Assimilation of one-carbon compounds. In: The bacteria (Ornston, L. N., Sokatch, J. R., eds.), vol. 6, pp. 219–304. New York: Academic Press 1978

    Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, E. B., Tolbert, N. E.: Glycolate dehydrogenase in green algae. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 141, 102–110 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Purohit, K., McFadden, B. A.: Quaternary structure and oxygenase activity of d-ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase from Hydrogenomonas eutropha. J. Bacteriol. 129, 415–421 (1977)

    Google Scholar 

  • Reh, M., Schlegel, H. G.: Anreicherung und Isolierung autotropher Mutanten von Hydrogenomonas H16. Arch. Mikrobiol. 67, 99–109 (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  • Repaske, R., Ambrose, C. A., Repaske, A. C., DeLacy, M. L.: Bicarbonate requirement for the elimination of the lag period of Hydrogenomonas eutropha. J. Bacteriol. 107, 712–717 (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  • Schlegel, H. G., Kaltwasser, H., Gottschalk, G.: Ein Submersverfahren zur Kultur wasserstoffoxydierender Bakterien: Wachstumsphysiologische Untersuchungen. Arch. Mikrobiol. 38, 209–222 (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  • Takabe, T., Osmond, C. B., Summons, R. E., Akazawa, T.: Effect of oxygen on photosynthesis and biosynthesis of glycolate in photoheterotrophically grown cells of Rhodospirillum rubrum. Plant Cell Physiol. 20, 233–241 (1979)

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolbert, N. W.: Photorespiration. In: Algal physiology and biochemistry (Stewart, W. D. P., ed.), pp. 474–504. Oxford: Blackwell 1974

    Google Scholar 

  • Vogels, G. D., van der Drift, C.: Differential analysis of glyoxylate derivatives. Anal. Biochem. 33, 143–157 (1970)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zelitch, I.: The relationship of glycolic acid to respiration and photosynthesis in tobacco leaves. J. Biol. Chem. 234, 3077–3081 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  • Zelitch, I.: Improving the efficiency of photosynthesis. Science 188, 626–633 (1975)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

To whom offprint requests are to be sent

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

King, W.R., Andersen, K. Efficiency of CO2 fixation in a glycollate oxidoreductase mutant of Alcaligenes eutrophus which exports fixed carbon as glycollate. Arch. Microbiol. 128, 84–90 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422310

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00422310

Key words

Navigation