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. 1985 Sep;163(3):933–937. doi: 10.1128/jb.163.3.933-937.1985

Metabolic pathway for the utilization of L-arginine, L-ornithine, agmatine, and putrescine as nitrogen sources in Escherichia coli K-12.

E Shaibe, E Metzer, Y S Halpern
PMCID: PMC219222  PMID: 3897201

Abstract

The pathway for the utilization of L-arginine, agmatine, L-ornithine, and putrescine as the sole nitrogen source by Escherichia coli K-12 has been elucidated. Mutants impaired in the utilization of one or more of the above compounds were isolated, and their growth on the different compounds as a sole source of nitrogen and the activities of enzymes of the putative pathway were examined. Our results show that L-arginine is first decarboxylated to agmatine, which is hydrolyzed to urea and putrescine. L-Ornithine is decarboxylated to putrescine. Putrescine is transaminated to gamma-aminobutyraldehyde, which is oxidized to gamma-aminobutyric acid. gamma-Aminobutyric acid is degraded to succinate. The gene for putrescine aminotransferase was located at 89 min on the E. coli K-12 chromosome, and the gene for gamma-aminobutyraldehyde (pyrroline) dehydrogenase was mapped at approximately 30 min.

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Selected References

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