Skip to main content
Log in

Metabolic differences betweenEscherichia coli cultures growing aerobically and anaerobically in the presence of fluoroacetate

  • Published:
Folia Microbiologica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The amount of citrate and pyruvate increased during the stationary phase of anEscherichia coli B culture growing in a synthetic medium, aerobically in the presence of glucose. In an anaerobic culture the amount of citrate was minute and did not rise during the stationary phase; the level of pyruvate in the stationary phase rose only slightly. Fluoroacetate blocked the growth of cells both aerobically and anaerobically. Cultures growing aerobically in the presence of fluoroaeetate displayed an increased accumulation of citrate as compared with the control. In anaerobic cultures citrate did not accumulate in the presence of inhibitory concentrations of fluoroacetate. In the presence of 2mm fluoroacetate cells grew aerobically somewhat more slowly at first, then inhibition ceased and finally the growth yield was greater than in the control. The obtained data indicate that citrate accumulated at first was partly utilized for growth under these conditions. The results are discussed from the point of view of differences in the metabolism of aerobically and anaerobically grown cells.

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.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ajl, S. J.:Evolution of a pattern of terminal respiration in bacteria. Physiol. Rev. 38: 196, 1958.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ajl, S. J., Wong, D. T. O.:A reappraisal of the role of tricarboxylic acid cycle in the respiration of Escherichia coli. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 54: 474, 1955.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aubel, E., Prieur, P.:Sur le charactère adaptif du cycle tricarboxylique chez Escherichia coli. Compt. rend. Acad. Sci. Paris 240: 1945, 1955.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aubel, E., Szulmajster, J.:Contribution à l’étude de la fermentation et de la respiration de Escherichia coli. III. IV. Biochem. biophys. Acta 5: 499, 515, 1950.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bartley, W., unpublished; quoted by Amoore, J. E.:The permeability of isolated rat-liver mitochondria at 0° to the metabolites pyruvate, succinate, citrate, adenosine 5′-phosphate and adenosine triphosphate. Biochem. J. 70: 718, 1958.

    Google Scholar 

  • Englesberg, E., Gibor, A., Levy, J. B.:Adaptive control of terminal respiraton in Pasteurella pestis. J. Bacteriol. 68: 146, 1954.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fowler, C. B.:The relationship between fermentation and enzymatic adaptation. Biochem. biophys. Acta 7: 563, 1951.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Friedemann, T. E., Haugen, G. E.:Pyruvic acid. II. The determination of keto acids in blood and urine. J. biol. Chem. 147: 415, 1943.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilvarg, C., Davis, B. D.:Bole of tricarboxylic acid cycle in acetate oxidation in Escherichia coli. J. biol. Chem. 222: 307, 1956.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gorini, L.:Effect of L-cystine on inhibition of anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli and Aerobacter aerogenes. J. Bacteriol. 82: 304, 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray, C. T., Wimpenny, J. W. T., Hughes, D. E., Ranlett, M.:A soluble c-type cytochrome from anaerobically grown Escherichia coli and various Enterobacteriaceae. Biochem. biophys. Acta 67: 157, 1963.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Grunberg-Manago, M., Gunsalus, I. C.:Aerobic and anaerobic citric acid metabolism of Escherichia coli. Bacteriol. Proc. 73, 1953.

  • Hager, L. P., Kornberg, H. L.:On the mechanism of alpha-oxoglutarate oxidation in Escherichia coli. Biochem. J. 78: 194, 1961.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hirsch, C. A., Rasminsky, M., Davis, B. D., Lin, E. C. C.:A fumarate reductase in Escherichia coli distinct from succinate dehydrogenase. J. biol. Chem. 238: 3770, 1963.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hummel, J. P.:The fluorometric determination of malic acid. J. biol. Chem. 180: 1225, 1949.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lominski, I., Conway, N. S., Harper, E. M., Rennie, J. B.:Utilization of citric acid by some so-called citrate-non-utilizing bacteria. Nature 160: 573, 1947.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lynen, F., Hartmann, G., Netter, K. F., Schwegraf, A., In:Regulation of cell metabolism (Wolstenholm G. E. W., O’Conner C. M., Eds.). J. A. Churchill, p. 256, London 1959.

  • Mager, J., Goldblum-Sinai, S., Blank, I.:Effect of fluoroacetic acid and allied fluoroanalogues on growth of Escherichia coli. I. J. Bacteriol. 70: 320, 1955.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McArdle, B.:A modified method for the microdetermination of citric acid. Biochem. J. 60: 647, 1955.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Morrison, G. A.:Anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli in the presence of certain acids. Nature 171: 937, 1953.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, N.:A photometric adaptation of the Somogyi method for the determination of glucose. J. biol. Chem. 153: 375, 1944.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peters, R. A.:Mechanism of the toxicity of the active constituent of Dichapetalum cymosum and related compounds. Advances Enzymol. 18: 113, 1957.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pichinoty, F.:L’effet oxygéne et la biosynthèse des enzymes d’oxydoréduction bactériens. In:Méchanismes de régulation des activités cellulaires chez les microorganismes. Edition du CNRS, p. 491, Paris 1965.

  • Quastel, J. H., Stephenson, M.:Further observations on the anaerobic growth of bacteria. Biochem. J. 19: 660, 1925.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Quastel, J. H., Stephenson, M., Whetham, M. D.:Some reactions of resting bacteria in relation to anaerobic growth. Biochem. J. 19: 304, 1925.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts, R. B., Abelson, P. H., Cowie, D. B., Bolton, E. T., Britten, R. J.:Studies on biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. Carnegie Institution of Washington Publication 607, Washington D. C., 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Slonimski, P. P.:La formation des enzymes respiratoires chez la levure. Masson et Cie, Paris 1953.

    Google Scholar 

  • Somogyi, M.:Notes on sugar determination. J. Biol. Chem. 195: 19, 1952.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, M., Whetham, M. D.:The effect of oxygen supply on the metabolism of Bacillus coli communis. Biochem. J. 18: 498, 1924.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Szulmajster, J., Grunberg-Manago, M., Prouvost, A.:Sur le métabolisme aérobie et anaérobie de Escherichia coli. Biochem. biophys. Acta 9: 636, 1952.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tustanoff, E. R., Bartley, W.:Development of respiration in yeast grown anaerobically on different carbon source. Biochem. J. 91: 595, 1964.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Umbarger, H. E.:The influence of the environment on acetate metabolism in Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 68: 140, 1954.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughan, R. H., Osburn, J. T., Wadding, G. T., Tabachnik, J., Beisel, C. G., Braxton, T.:Utilization of citrate by Escherichia coli. J. Bacteriol. 60: 119, 1950.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wheat, E. W., Ajl, S. J.:Citritase, the citratesplitting enzyme from Escherichia coli. I. J. biol. Chem. 217: 897, 1955.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiame, J. M.:Le rôle biosynthétique du cycle des acides tricarboxyliques. Advances Enzymol. 18: 241, 1957.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kováč, L., Berta, F., Pšenák, M. et al. Metabolic differences betweenEscherichia coli cultures growing aerobically and anaerobically in the presence of fluoroacetate. Folia Microbiol 11, 263–270 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02878895

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02878895

Keywords

Navigation