Skip to main content
PMC home page
Biochemical Journal logoLink to Biochemical Journal
. 1966 Apr;99(1):76–86. doi: 10.1042/bj0990076

The synthesis of amino acids by Methanobacterium omelianskii

M Knight 1,*, R S Wolfe 1,†, S R Elsden 1,*
PMCID: PMC1264959  PMID: 5965349

Abstract

1. Methanobacterium omelianskii was grown on 14CO2 and unlabelled ethanol, or on [1-14C]- or [2-14C]-ethanol and unlabelled carbon dioxide. The cell protein was hydrolysed and certain of the amino acids were isolated and degraded. 2. Carbon from both carbon dioxide and ethanol is used for biosynthesis of amino acids, and in most cases ethanol is incorporated as a C2 unit. Ethanol carbon atoms and carbon dioxide carbon atoms apparently enter the same range of compounds. Ethanol and carbon dioxide are equally important as sources of cell carbon. 3. The origins of carbon atoms of aspartate, alanine, glycine, serine and threonine are consistent with the synthesis of these amino acids, by pathways known to exist in aerobic organisms, from pyruvate arising by a C2+C1 condensation. The proportion of total radioactivity found in C-1 of lysine, proline, methionine and valine is consistent with synthesis of these amino acids by pathways similar to those found in Escherichia coli. Isoleucine is probably formed by carboxylation of a C5 precursor formed entirely from ethanol. Glutamate is formed by an unknown pathway.

Full text

PDF
86

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ALLISON M. J., BRYANT M. P. Biosynthesis of branched-chain amino acids from branched-chain fatty acids by rumen bacteria. Arch Biochem Biophys. 1963 May;101:269–277. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9861(63)80012-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ALLISON M. J., BRYANT M. P., DOETSCH R. N. Studies on the metabolic function of branched-chain volatile fatty acids, growth factors for ruminococci. I. Incorporation of isovalerate into leucine. J Bacteriol. 1962 Mar;83:523–532. doi: 10.1128/jb.83.3.523-532.1962. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. ANDREW I. G., MORRIS J. G. THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF ALANINE BY CLOSTRIDIUM KLUYVERI. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1965 Jan 4;97:176–179. doi: 10.1016/0304-4165(65)90292-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. BUCHANAN B. B., BACHOFEN R., ARNON D. I. ROLE OF FERREDOXIN IN THE REDUCTIVE ASSIMILATION OF CO2 AND ACETATE BY EXTRACTS OF THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIUM, CHROMATIUM. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1964 Sep;52:839–847. doi: 10.1073/pnas.52.3.839. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. BUCHANAN B. B., RABINOWITZ J. C. SOME PROPERTIES OF METHANOBACTERIUM OMELIANSKII FERREDOXIN. J Bacteriol. 1964 Sep;88:806–807. doi: 10.1128/jb.88.3.806-807.1964. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. CRAWFORD L. V. Studies on the aspartic decarboxylase of Nocardia globerula. Biochem J. 1958 Feb;68(2):221–225. doi: 10.1042/bj0680221. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. ELSDEN S. R., GIBSON Q. H. The estimation of lactic acid using ceric sulphate. Biochem J. 1954 Sep;58(1):154–158. doi: 10.1042/bj0580154. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HOARE D. S. The photo-assimilation of acetate by Rhodospirillum rubrum. Biochem J. 1963 May;87:284–301. doi: 10.1042/bj0870284. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hoare D. S., Gibson J. Photoassimilation of acetate and the biosynthesis of amino acids by Chlorobium thiosulphatophilum. Biochem J. 1964 Jun;91(3):546–559. doi: 10.1042/bj0910546. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. JOHNS A. T., BARKER H. A. Methane formation; fermentation of ethanol in the absence of carbon dioxide by Methanobacillus omelianskii. J Bacteriol. 1960 Dec;80:837–841. doi: 10.1128/jb.80.6.837-841.1960. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. KEMBLE A. R., MACPHERSON H. T. Determination of monoamino monocarboxylic acids by quantitative paper chromatography. Biochem J. 1954 Apr;56(4):548–555. doi: 10.1042/bj0560548. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. KNIGHT M. The photometabolism of propionate by Rhodospirillum rubrum. Biochem J. 1962 Jul;84:170–185. doi: 10.1042/bj0840170. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Markham R. A steam distillation apparatus suitable for micro-Kjeldahl analysis. Biochem J. 1942 Dec;36(10-12):790–791. doi: 10.1042/bj0360790. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. PIZER L. I. GLYCINE SYNTHESIS AND METABOLISM IN ESCHERICHIA COLI. J Bacteriol. 1965 Apr;89:1145–1150. doi: 10.1128/jb.89.4.1145-1150.1965. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. RYLE A. P., SANGER F., SMITH L. F., KITAI R. The disulphide bonds of insulin. Biochem J. 1955 Aug;60(4):541–556. doi: 10.1042/bj0600541. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. TOMLINSON N. Carbon dioxide and acetate utilization by Clostridium kluyveri. II. Synthesis of amino acids. J Biol Chem. 1954 Aug;209(2):597–603. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. TOMLINSON N. Carbon dioxide and acetate utilization by Clostridium kluyveri. III. A new path of glutamic acid synthesis. J Biol Chem. 1954 Aug;209(2):605–609. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. UMBARGER H. E., UMBARGER M. A., SIU P. M. BIOSYNTHESIS OF SERINE IN ESCHERICHIA COLI AND SALMONELLA TYPHIMURIUM. J Bacteriol. 1963 Jun;85:1431–1439. doi: 10.1128/jb.85.6.1431-1439.1963. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. WOLIN E. A., WOLIN M. J., WOLFE R. S. FORMATION OF METHANE BY BACTERIAL EXTRACTS. J Biol Chem. 1963 Aug;238:2882–2886. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Biochemical Journal are provided here courtesy of The Biochemical Society

RESOURCES