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. 1973 Nov;116(2):931–937. doi: 10.1128/jb.116.2.931-937.1973

Glucose and Pyruvate Metabolism of Spirochaeta litoralis, an Anaerobic Marine Spirochete

R B Hespell a,1, E Canale-Parola a
PMCID: PMC285465  PMID: 4745435

Abstract

The pathways of glucose and pyruvate metabolism in Spirochaeta litoralis, a free-living, strictly anaerobic marine spirochete, were studied. Addition of 0.2 to 0.4 M NaCl (final concentration) to suspending buffers prevented cell lysis and was necessary for gas evolution from various substrates by cell suspensions. The organism fermented glucose mainly to ethanol, acetate, CO2, and H2. Determination of radioactivity in products formed from 14C-labeled glucose and assays of enzymatic activities in cell extracts indicated that S. litoralis catabolized glucose via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway. A clostridial-type clastic reaction was utilized by the spirochete to degrade pyruvate to acetyl-coenzyme A, CO2, and H2. Formation of acetate from acetyl-coenzyme A was catalyzed by phosphotransacetylase and acetate kinase. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-dependent acetaldehyde and alcohol dehydrogenases converted acetyl-coenzyme A to ethanol. A reversible hydrogenase activity was detected in cell extracts. S. litoralis cell extracts contained a rubredoxin similar in spectral properties to other bacterial rubredoxins.

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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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