CO 2 -DEPENDENT FERMENTATION OF GLUCOSE BY CYTOPHAGA SUCCINICANS

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Abstract
The mechanism of the CO2-dependent fermentation of glucose by Ctyophaga succinicans was investigated. Evidence is presented which indicates that the organism can degrade glucose to pyruvate through the Emden-Meyerhof pathway. The routes of formation of the end products (succinic, acetic, and formic acids) were investigated and were found to involve known pathways. By tracer techniques it was found that most of the fixed CO2 appeared in the carboxyl carbons of succinate. A phosphoenolpyruvate-C02 condensing reaction which is stimulated by guanosine diphosphate was demonstrated in extracts. Extracts could effect a CO2-independent fermentation of hexose diphosphate if supplemented with muscle lactic dehydrogenase. It was concluded that CO2 functions in the fermentation by providing, through condensation with phosphoenolpyruvate, compounds which can serve as acceptors for the available hydrogen generated in glucose degradation.