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. 1967 Oct;94(4):984–990. doi: 10.1128/jb.94.4.984-990.1967

Pyruvate Metabolism in Sarcina maxima

Dorothy G Kupfer 1, E Canale-Parola 1
PMCID: PMC276765  PMID: 4383134

Abstract

The mechanisms of pyruvate cleavage and hydrogen production by Sarcina maxima were studied. It was found that a phosphoroclastic system for pyruvate oxidation, similar to that occurring in saccharolytic clostridia, is present in S. maxima. Cleavage of pyruvate by extracts of the latter organism resulted in the formation of acetyl phosphate, CO2, and electrons which were transferred to ferredoxin. Formate was not an intermediate in this system. Pyruvate oxidation was coupled with ferredoxin-dependent nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) reduction. A hydrogenase, active in particulate extracts of S. maxima, did not accept electrons from reduced ferredoxin. Formate was detected as a fermentation product when S. maxima was grown in media buffered with CaCO3. Whole cells and extracts degraded formate to H2 and CO2. The evidence suggests that electrons generated by ferredoxin-linked pyruvate oxidation by S. maxima are not used for H2 production, but that they serve for the reduction of NADP. Reduced NADP may be utilized by the organisms for synthesis of cell material. Production of H2 by S. maxima may occur through a pyruvate clastic system similar to that present in coliform bacteria.

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Selected References

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

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