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Endogenous metabolism ofStaphylococcus aureus

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Abstract

Some of the reactions of endogenous metabolism ofStaphylococcus aureus were examined and the level of endogenous substrate was found to be related to oxygen consumption. In starved cells, the amount of free amino acids, protein and RNA decreased while that of DNA increased. The cells consumed mainly glutamic and aspartic acids and, to a lesser degree, alanine, glycine and serine, while leucine/isoleucine, methionine, tyrosine and phenylalanine were released into the medium. The degradation of RNA by starved cells was suppressed by Mg2+. Resting cells ofStaphylococcus aureus oxidized adenosine, guanosine, uridine, adenine, guanine and ribose. After 3 h of starvation at 37°C the viability of cells was not affected although 40.6% amino acids, 8.5% protein and 36.5% RNA had been consumed.

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Krzemiński, Z., Mikucki, J. & Szarapińska-Kwaszewska, J. Endogenous metabolism ofStaphylococcus aureus . Folia Microbiol 17, 46–54 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02872252

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