Permeability of Escherichia coli to ribose and ribose nucleotides

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Abstract
Washed intact cells of E. coli, grown semi-anaerobically in a glucose medium, degrade anaerobically D-ribose in the form of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides or nucleo-sides. The products formed include CO2, H2, ethanol, acetic and succinic acids. Free ribose and ribose 5-phosphate are not degraded by intact glucose-grown cells but are fermented by cell material obtained by supersonic vibration. Intact cells grown in a medium containing ribose instead of glucose rapidly ferment ribose and 5-phosphate, as well as the ribose moiety of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides. Washed glucose-grown cells acquire the ability to ferment ribose if incubated for a few hours in the presence of O2, ribose and a source of N. The observations are in accord with the assumption that the penetration of ribose and ribose-5-phosphate into the cell is mediated by a specific permease. Washed cells also acquire the ability to ferment ribose-5-phosphate (but not ribose) when treated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide or lysozyme plus ethylene-diaminetetra-acetic acid. These agents presumably cause structural modifications in the cell wall.