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Oxalate accumulation from citrate by Aspergillus niger

I. Biosynthesis of oxalate from its ultimate precursor

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Abstract

Carbon-14 was incorporated from citrate-1,5-14C, glyoxylate-14C(U), or glyoxylate-1-14C into oxalate by cultures of Aspergillus niger pregrown on a medium with glucose as the sole source of carbon. Glyoxylate-14C(U) was superior to glyoxylate-1-14C and citrate-1,5-14C as a source of incorporation. By addition of a great amount of citrate the accumulation of oxalate was accelerated and its maximum yield increased. In a cell-free extract from mycelium forming oxalate from citrate the enzyme oxaloacetate hydrolase (EC 3.7.1.1) was identified. Its in vitro activity per flask exceeded the rate of in vivo accumulation of oxalate. Glyoxylate oxidizing enzymes (glycolate oxidase, EC 1.1.3.1; glyoxylate oxidase, EC 1.2.3.5; NAD(P)-dependent glyoxylate dehydrogenase; glyoxylate dehydrogenase, CoA-oxalylating, EC 1.2.1.17) could not be detected in cell-free extracts. It is concluded that in cultures accumulating oxalate from citrate after pregrowth on glucose, oxalate arises by hydrolytic cleavage of oxaloacetate but not by oxidation of glyoxylate.

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Abbreviations

DCPIP:

2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biologisches Institut der Universität Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany

    Hans-Martin Müller

  2. Abt. Futtermittelkunde der Universität Hohenheim, Emil-Wolff-Str. 10, D-7000, Stuttgart 70, Federal Republic of Germany

    Hans-Martin Müller

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Müller, HM. Oxalate accumulation from citrate by Aspergillus niger . Arch. Microbiol. 103, 185–189 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00436348

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