GLUCOSE OXIDATION BY SERRATIA MARCESCENS

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Abstract
Fresh cell suspensions of glucose-grown Serratia marcescens oxidize glucose, gluconic acid, and 2-ketoglneonate with an uptake of 3.0, 2.5, and 2.0 μmoles of oxygen per μM. substrate, respectively. Approximately two μM. of CO2 per μM. of each substrate are evolved. 6-Phosphogluconate, glucose-6-phosphate, and hexose diphosphate do not appear to be intermediates in the normal pathway of glucose oxidation. Dried-cell preparations of S. marcescens oxidize glucose and gluconate in a two-stage pattern, with an initial uptake of 1.0 and 0.5 μM. O2/μM. substrate, respectively. 2-Ketogluconate was identified chromatographically in these solutions. In the second stage, both added and metabolically formed 2-ketogluconate are further oxidized to the same oxidation level attained with the whole cell, i.e., 3.0, 2.5, and 2.0 μM. O2/μM. glucose, gluconate, and 2-ketogluconate, respectively. An as yet unidentified acidic compound has been isolated from the solution of metabolites of a glucose oxidation by these organisms.