Metabolism of 6-O-acetyl-d-glucopyranose and other monoacetyl-sugars by strains of Bacillus megaterium and other soil organisms

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Abstract
6-O-Acetyl-D-glucopyranose is a major product of the metabolism of glucose by B. megaterium (NCIB 8508) but not of other strains of this or various other soil organisms. The isolation of the ester is described. Oxygen is essential for ester synthesis by resting cells, except when pyruvate is added. Pyruvate accumulates with arsenite-poisoned cells and the production of both acetate and ester with growing cells suggests that these acids are intermediates in ester production. 6-O-Acetyl-D-glucopyranose deacetylase, present in cell-free extracts of the organism, did not hydrolyze even such closely related compounds as 6-O-acetyl-D-galactopyranose, acetylxylose, N-acetylglucosamine or acetylcholine. Differential centrifuging of the crushed cells gave a soluble and two particulate fractions among which the deacetylase was approximately evenly distributed. Acetylglucose was not hydrolyzed by extracts from strains of B. megaterium which did not produce the ester, nor by extracts from other bacteria or by commercial preparations of hydrolytic enzymes. Synthesis of the ester could not be demonstrated with the cell-free extracts available, but phosphotogransacetylase, acetocoenzyme A kinase and an enzyme system mediating the acetylation of hydroxyl-amine were present. It is suggested that synthesis of the ester proceeds via pyruvic acid, acetic acid, or acetylphosphate and acetylcoenzyme A or all of these followed by a specific condensation with glucose.